Accountability and Responsibility… What’s the difference?

This is going to sound contrarian for those who know me…I have never considered myself to be a leader who has needed to be focused on team member accountability. Why? With the teams I have been responsible for leading, we have always been highly successful at exceeding the needs and goals of our fellow team members and our clients. If we were a sports team, I would tell you we consistently win. 

What is important to understand as a leader is there is a huge difference between accountability and responsibility. Accountability is done to you by someone looking for someone to blame if things go wrong. Responsibility is done by you to ensure you exceed your counterpart’s and client’s expectations. When you are responsible, you go out of your way to exceed expectations so that the world does not have to focus on holding you accountable. When you are a leader who has a team filled with responsible team members, you don’t need to spend a lot of time setting up an accountability matrix. Like being a manager or being a leader, accountable and responsible leadership are not either – or, all or none propositions. There are times when team members do not carry the responsibility and you will need to get involved and ensure that people are held accountable. But, what I know firsthand is the more you hire employees that are highly responsible to meet and exceed expectations, the less you need to put your focus on holding team members accountable. 

So, what can you do to build a team of highly responsible team members who meet and exceed the expectations of other team members and your customers?

Look to the Top First
Personal responsibility begins at the top. To inspire self-responsibility, you must first demonstrate personal accountability. Take full responsibility for your decisions, follow through on your promises, seek solutions to challenges rather than reacting, and tenaciously pursue your organization’s goals.

Clarify Expectations
If from time to time you are challenged with an, “it’s-not-my-job” response, take time to clarify the difference between the employee’s job description and your expectations. Ask team members to write down areas of work for which they are personally responsible. You may be surprised to find that, in some cases, more than one employee feels accountable for a particular task, while responsibility for other tasks is not claimed by anyone! Review your findings with employees and gain agreement regarding each individual’s areas of accountability.

Stress Performance Standards
Be absolutely clear in your expectations for performance. Review standards regularly throughout the year. Don’t wait until the annual review when it is too late for employees to do anything about it! Performance expectations should be non-negotiable. Your commitment to holding people fully accountable for meeting their performance standards will raise employee levels of commitment and morale because team members know you hold each member of your team equally responsible for meeting his or her expectations.

Provide Needed Resources
You cannot expect people to meet your expectations unless you provide the support they need to successfully accomplish their goals. This may mean providing additional training, tools, or resources. You may also need to allocate additional authority to give employees the power to take action. Limiting employees’ authority will undermine your accountability efforts.

Avoid Micromanaging
If you follow the first four steps to create accountability, you will have little need to micromanage. If you mix micromanaging and accountability, we can promise you defeat in your quest to build self-responsibility! When tempted to step in and direct processes, don’t! Allow your employees the freedom to make decisions and live with the consequences. When you demonstrate trust in their competence, they are more likely to rise to your expectations.

Reward Personal Accountability and Responsibility
Organizations achieve what they value and reward. When your employees take initiative to meet performance expectations, take note and respond! Celebrate achievements and let them know their behaviors support your company values! Recognizing successes in initiative, responsibility and personal accountability builds employees’ confidence and increases the likelihood they will repeat the behaviors.

As we move into the future, those companies that create a climate where employees feel valued for their commitment to continuous improvement, innovative solutions, and responsibility and accountability will be companies that not only survive, but stand at the top.