There are some fundamental attributes about human behaviour that need to be explored in order for leaders to begin to create the environment where accountability can flourish. One of the first paradigm shifts is the consideration that the vast majority of people actually want to be accountable for their actions, results, and success levels, even if they don’t know it. Often, employees feel that they are being evaluated, observed, and judged regularly, which creates a threat response.
When I ask leaders if they feel responsible for the performance of their teams they usually say “Yes!”. Why would we want a leader to feel responsible for the outcomes of another person especially when we know it is not possible to control another person?
We say we want everyone to be responsible and accountable for their own actions and outcomes but then we set up systems that don’t reflect this. If we want different results, we must do things differently. We cannot sit by and tell people to take responsibility when our programs, processes, and management style don’t support this. Are you ready to make a shift?
