Importance of accountability
Accountability is the obligation bestowed on an individual or an organization to be answerable, take responsibility for its actions, and provide an account in a transparent manner. Achievement of this character trait in an organization requires every individual in an organization to own up to his or her responsibilities, their actions and the results after that. Accountability is crucial due to various reasons.
Accountability promotes trust. In different relationships, accountability means that one is ready to commit to something and be responsible enough to see it to the end. In such an event, one earns trust from the people around as they have established that one is trustworthy with a particular situation. Moreover, accountability is an expression of integrity towards accounting for their actions if they fail to honor their commitment and work towards making the situation better. A reliable individual enjoys autonomy, confidence, and leeway to conduct one’s work.
Accountability elicits responsibility. Responsibility is a virtue of showing that one is mature and a dependable person that an employer can trust. An employee shows responsibility by assuming all actions, products, decisions and failures of duty assigned. A responsible employee has an obligation to report any challenges, failures or successes of an assignment in an honest, straightforward and accepting of their faults manner and taking actionable steps to remedy a situation.
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Accountability encourages ownership as when individuals learn to be answerable and responsible for their actions and outcomes they learn to associate value with their work. When employees are assigned their roles, they understand that they are valuable and crucial in the structure of the organization. Consequently, they are motivated to exert more effort in their work. Thus, their individual behavior and action begin to align with their expectations and start observing their outcomes as a contribution to a team.
Accountability ensures performance by making sure all employees work towards a common goal. When one is answerable to their actions, it eliminates events of them engaging in behavior and activities detrimental to their jobs. An organization achieves performance by the leadership outlining the goals and expectations of each employee and assigning tasks in this regard. Therefore, each becomes aware of his or her expectations and responsibilities hence, creates a sense of direction.
Accountability saves time and finances. When employees in an organization are answerable and responsible for their actions, utilization of time and funds is adequately spent in among others, identifying solutions towards a challenge as opposed to trying to determine the problem. In this situation, accountability means that every employee conducts their roles competently, and if a problem occurs, they raise it up instead of keeping quiet and letting it eventually create a bigger consequence.
Accountability also promotes confidence among employees when they achieve their goals. Confidence in employees is derived from an environment that accepts and facilitates honest interactions and criticism, that appreciates their ideas, incorporates them in an organization, and gives them the liberty to make decisions about their work. Additionally, confidence thrives when employees receive the mandate to make decisions to challenges. When an employer listens and shows interest in employees’ performance, they are likely to appreciate and put effort in their work.
Accountability makes a leader effective. Leaders set the ground for the behavior and performance of employees. If they take liability for their achievements and their failures, it makes it easy for employees to admire and emulate. Moreover, it sets the morals and principles that are essential towards achieving accountability.
In conclusion, the building of accountability in an organization is crucial. A leader does so by eliminating fear, developing trust among the employees, being open to their responses, ideas and rewarding them for their choice to be answerable to their responsibilities.
