3 keys to building a culture of accountability
Wednesday, January 22, 2025 - Joe Kiedinger
The nature of accountability
Accountability can be elusive. It’s one of those things that everybody expects from others all the time but doesn’t always come as expected. From a leader’s perspective, accountability remains one of the most important aspects of an individual and team’s ability to produce results. It’s universally expected for a reason – things don’t work without it. Very often, the difference between an accountable team and an unaccountable team comes down to leadership.
Sure, there are some exceptions, where you may find people and teams who won’t display a desirable level of accountability no matter who is leading them. But generally speaking, a leader can make all the difference.
A common misconception about accountability is that it is a purely intrinsic characteristic that can only be displayed if someone “has it in them.” The truth is that everyone in the world has the ability to hold themselves accountable to something. It’s a skill that can be taught when expectations are set. As a leader, your role is to bring the best out of your people and tap into the things that will help them be accountable to their goals, the team’s goals, and the company’s goals.
A high-accountability workplace will have higher morale, better engagement, reduced turnover, and a high level of trust. So, let’s dive into four critical steps that all leaders can take to build a culture of accountability within their teams!
Understand your people’s dignity
When you understand your people’s dignity, you’re going to have most of the work done. If you can find a way to lead somebody by honoring and respecting who they are, you can unlock their potential. One of the most critical components of someone’s dignity is what motivates them. Are they people-oriented? Task-oriented? What are their main traits? Are they organized? Are they consistent? A born leader? Maybe, they’re unique and fun like me!
Whatever their traits may be, your goal is to create a structure that supports them and motivates them based on who they are. Allow your people to work in ways that complement their motivations, and watch the results flow in as accountability becomes less of a chore, and more of a joy. Knowing a person to this degree (especially at work) may be difficult with conventional measures. Thankfully, Dignify packages everything you would need to know in one intuitive platform, and guides conversations to build mutual understanding quickly and sustain it indefinitely.
Give and receive feedback frequently
The feedback loop is where accountability truly flourishes. When you set expectations for people, the best way that you can ensure they are being met is through consistent meetings. Giving feedback so frequently can be difficult at first, but take comfort in knowing that the data is on your side. 96% of employees agree regular feedback is a good thing.
With consistent, constructive feedback, there are no surprises for anyone –your people know where they stand and what they should start or stop doing. You have an outlet to understand whether or not your expectations are being met. In addition, allow your employees room to express any feedback they may have for you as a leader. Think of this as a way to learn how to better support your people directly from the source. Many people are reluctant to share their thoughts on their peers and leaders for a variety of reasons, which leaves lots of valuable information lost on the leaders that need it. Give them a platform to express those thoughts and let them know it’s safe.
Don’t leave feedback for end-of-year reviews. Don’t even let it be quarterly. We find that a monthly cadence of mutual feedback works very well for our employees and those of our clients – try it out!
Demonstrate empathy
Show your people that you care about them, and they will show that they care about you. It may seem obvious when written like this, but it’s important to keep in mind and respect that your team members all have their own individual lives, events, and struggles outside of what they do at the company.
When you notice someone falling behind on performance or failing to meet the expectations you’ve set, there’s always a reason for it. Noticing it is the easy part, the hard part comes after. It’s very important that you offer support to them, have a candid one-on-one, and find out what’s going on. You might find that they are dealing with something personally or professionally that’s getting in their way.
Find out what that roadblock is and do what you can to alleviate it. Can’t manage to come into work on time? Try to adjust their schedule to a mutually agreeable timeframe. Is there something in their personal lives distracting them from work? Give them some time to handle it, and come back to work focused and rejuvenated. There’s countless ways that you can accommodate your people, alleviate their pressures, and help them be accountable to themselves and their team.
The bottom line
Accountability doesn’t just happen on its own – it’s something leaders actively cultivate. Building a culture of accountability is all about understanding the unique strengths and struggles of each individual, giving feedback that keeps everyone on track, and showing a level of care that makes people want to give their best. When leaders approach their teams with empathy, consistency, and respect, they create an environment where accountability is less of a mandate and more of a shared responsibility. The result? A team that doesn’t just meet expectations, but blows them out of the water, with passion and purpose driving every step.
JOE KIEDINGER
ACTION PLAN: Struggling with accountability in your team? Make it easy by gaining understanding, showing empathy, and implementing a consistent feedback loop.