Accountability, it’s a word that gets used a lot, especially at work.

It also gets thrown around a great deal for teenagers and people in their early twenties, particularly for those of us who were perhaps testing the waters and pushing boundaries. I can still recall my parents regularly saying, “Kylie, you’re almost an adult now, you need to take responsibility for your choices and actions.”

There is good reason for this. Parents want their kids to learn, develop, and become responsible adults. Similarly, leaders and organisations want their people to perform, grow, and fulfil their potential—well, the good ones anyway.

Accountability has long been considered the cornerstone of personal and professional growth.

In fact, without taking personal responsibility, ownership or accountability it is very difficult to learn and progress. Just ask any successful person and they’ll tell you that taking ownership of their actions was crucial to their success, whether it was achieving their goals, inspiring their team to achieve more than they believed possible or overcoming insurmountable obstacles.

As a leader, parent, or anyone aiming to make a difference, it’s not always easy to inspire personal accountability in others.

Many of us, me included, sometimes avoid taking personal responsibility if we think it will lead to negative consequences or damage our reputation. Some of us have not been taught to take responsibility, accountability, or ownership. Perhaps growing up we had a parent that stepped in and fixed things for us or allowed us to make excuses and blame others. For others, it might simply be that we don’t feel safe to do it – for the fear of judgment or punishment.

I am sure you can add a few more reasons too.

There are times however, when an individuals, mindset, habits and childhood experiences are not just the cause, workplaces can contribute too!

There are many environments where blame seems to be the common go to phrase, and excuses are masked as explanations. Cultures where individuals don’t trust each other and are afraid to make mistakes for fear of retribution and the shame that goes along with it.

The question is, how do you create an ecosystem of accountability as a leader, a parent or a difference maker?

How do you influence others to embrace personal accountability?

Many of leadership pundits will say you should HOLD your people accountable, but my suggestion is that you ENCOURAGE them to be accountable and here’s why:

• Encouraging accountability promotes a growth mindset. When your people feel supported in taking ownership of their actions, they are more likely to embrace challenges and learn from failures.
• It builds trust. Encouraging accountability demonstrates a belief in your people’s capabilities, strengthening trust between you and team members.
• Encouraging accountability boosts employee engagement. Employees who feel empowered to take responsibility for their work are more likely to be engaged and motivated.
• It enhances problem-solving. A culture of accountability encourages proactive problem-solving rather than reactive blame-shifting.
• Encouraging accountability drives innovation. When employees feel safe to take risks and learn from mistakes, innovation thrives.

I would also add that Encouraging Accountability rather than holding others accountable, is a more dignified and respectful way to treat adults.

So how do you encourage accountability?

Here are a few of the things I regularly suggest:

Where possible collaborate on expectations or requirements as I refer to them in my 4 R’s to accountability Framework ©. This ensures buy in and ownership from the start. When you set the expectation, you own it, when your people are part of establishing what needs to be done, they own it!

Get curious and review where things are at, ask lots of “open ended questions? – Tell me about the current state of play with X? What has worked? What hasn’t? rather than “Have you done x? Closed questions rarely lead to robust discussion, discovery and ownership.

Listen, really listen. Allow space for your people to share.

Validate what you are hearing, reinforce and cheerlead what has been done and challenge respectfully what hasn’t.

Work with your team or the person you are having the conversation with to refine their actions or strategies – What might need some tweaking? What could you do differently instead?

Keep asking open ended questions and allow them to come up with the strategies and ideas.

Tame your Advice Monster and only jump in if you need to.

By doing this you will influence the very thing you want to get – personal responsibility. You will also build confidence in your people and their ability to think critically, problem solve and deliver on the expectations or goals set.

Holding people accountable is an archaic approach, it’s the old “Command and Control” way of leading and induces fear. It stifles creativity and innovation and drives compliance, rather than commitment, ownership and initiative.

By encouraging accountability, you will help your people to grow personally and professionally, something I am sure you are keen to do more of.

Trust this has been helpful in some way shape or form.

Kylie