President Harry S. Truman famously said, “The buck stops here,” meaning he accepted full responsibility for his decisions and had no intention of shifting the blame to others. That said, many people today treat accountability like a hot potato. They seek recognition when things go well but disassociate themselves entirely when faced with setbacks. Do you accept accountability or make excuses?
If you ask for responsibility, you must be willing to be held accountable.
Why Most Accountability Falls Short
When someone grants responsibility, they’re paying you a compliment. They’re implying that they have the confidence in you to get the job done right. When you accept that challenge, you’re indicating that you’ll do everything in your power to achieve a positive outcome — and you expect to be held accountable for the results.
There are people who want no part of that. They shun accountability at every turn. In fact, some people don’t want to be evaluated. They expect to be rewarded whatever the outcome. Other folks shun accountability because they weren’t involved upfront, and think the goals are unrealistic. Others are given responsibility but told exactly what to do. They don’t think they have the freedom, much less the authority, to affect the outcome.
Most accountability falls short due to 15 factors:
Vague performance standards. Before making someone accountable, clearly define the task, the rationale, and the timetable required to complete it. Otherwise, people are left guessing.
Ambiguous expectations. Indicate how success will be measured or folks will define it for themselves.
Lack of commitment. Instead of exercising authority and control, secure commitment by involving folks in the decision-making process and obtaining mutually agreed-upon goals.
Scarce resources. Provide the resources required to get the job done right.
Low levels of trust. Instead of micromanaging everything that people do, trust them to do what’s right. Delegate authority not just tasks. And, let them choose how they’ll achieve their goals. That way there’ll be no excuses.
Lacking consistency. If priorities aren’t emphasized through consistent words and actions people will work at cross-purposes.
Forgetting your role. Don’t blur the line between being a manager and trying to be a friend.
Limited feedback. You can’t address your weaknesses if you’re blind to your flaws. Feedback enables you to learn about your shortcomings and take corrective action.
Shaming people in public. The best way to promote fear is to embarrass people in public. That said, folks should be praised in public and criticized in private.
Forgetting what’s important. As the famous cliché says, “What gets measured gets done.” So, ask yourself, “What counts that we’re not counting?”
Lacking follow-up. It’s not enough to establish goals and objectives. Progress must be evaluated on a regular basis.
Poor incentives. If you want excellence, you must recognize and reward it. Period. People stop trying when there’s no benefit for being exceptional and no consequence for being mediocre. In addition, if rewards don’t reinforce your goals, it will be difficult to keep folks on track.
Giving folks a free ride. Giving people a free pass is a recipe for disaster. It lulls them into a false sense of security and complacency.
Enabling unacceptable behavior. When poor behavior isn’t challenged, it becomes acceptable to act in an unacceptable way.
Failing to hold people accountable. Some people escape scrutiny by making excuses or casting blame. And before you know it, others follow suit.
You Are Accountable to Yourself
Some people dislike accountability because it places them front and center — setting them up to become a hero or a villain. So, they dream up a plan full of excuses to protect themselves if things go awry. The problem is that they spend more time anticipating potential failures than focusing on making the effort successful.
At the end of the day, while you may answer to others, you’re ultimately accountable to yourself. That means honoring your commitments and living up to the standards that you set for yourself. That doesn’t mean that you’ll always be successful, but at least you’ll know that you gave it your best shot. And nobody can take that away from you. When you have the courage and confidence to put yourself on the line, you will earn the trust, respect, and admiration of others. But most of all, you will earn the respect of yourself.
LISTEN UP … Listen to Your Conscience. That’s Why You Have One is now available as an audiobook. Check it out on Amazon, Audible, or iTunes.
How Do You Feel About Excuses?
Please leave a comment and tell us what you think or share it with someone who can benefit from the information.
Additional Reading:
20 Choices That Will Determine Your Destiny
Why Work If You Don’t Have To?
It’s Your Life to Live. Own It!
Are You Doing Your Fair Share?
Is Self-Reliance More Than a Buzzword?
Do You Have A Strong Work Ethic?
Nobody Can Do This, Except You
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Accountability is important in personal and professional settings. Like you said, you need to have courage to put yourself on the line. Wise words to consider.
So true, Lorelei
Accountability is crucial as it promotes responsibility, ensuring individuals take ownership of their actions and decisions. Additionally, accountability fosters continuous improvement, encouraging individuals to learn from their experiences and contribute positively to their personal and collective growth.
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best,
Frank
Victims take no accountability for not getting the task done. They blame others but never look in the mirror.
Good article.
I hear you Paul 🙂
As I say, “If you look in the mirror and don’t like what you see, don’t blame the mirror.”
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best,
Frank
Thank you so much, Frank. You provide valuable content. I purchased your book; Listen to your conscience.
Thanks so much, Kelly. I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best,
Frank
The article makes sense and I agree with it but it does not cover some realities.
1). Accountability starts at the top. And I mean real accountability. We have all seen the stories of CEOs stating that they take full responsibility and are sorry for the layoffs. So what? They just got bigger bonuses and more RSUs. When people see that any program of accountability is dead before it starts.
2). A major reason why people shun accountability is that they are setup for failure as they do not have the authority to accomplish their goals. It is easy to say you need to work with others,etc but unless their goals are fully aligned with yours at the get-go they will not risk themselves to help you achieve your goals. People want accountability from others, yet they refuse to fully empower them to achieve the stated objectives.
Great points, SMB.
Real power isn’t the result of controlling people; it’s created by empowering folks and forging commitment.
Involve and empower. People want to make a valuable contribution rather than be treated as a cog in the wheel. As such, encourage people to participate in the decision-making process so they buy into the strategy, rather than being told what to do.
Lead by example. Referent authority assumes that leaders inspire and influence others by exhibiting strong strong moral character and personal values rather than position alone. As such, they earn the trust and respect of others by living a life of honor and integrity.
Provide meaning and purpose. People want to believe in something greater than themselves. Help them understand that they are part of something special and can make a difference in the world.
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best,
Frank