The word accountability often conjures up images of a person who is being held to account for something. But what is Accountability? Accountability means taking responsibility for your actions even when no one else can see or hear them. It is about making tough decisions with integrity and dedication, even if they are not popular at the time. The workplace is an emotional roller coaster. There are many highs and lows, but the most important thing to remember is that you need to be accountable.
What Does it Mean to Be Accountable?
Being accountable means taking responsibility for your actions, decisions, flaws, mistakes, and the consequences without blaming others.
It also means to take the initiative when you see an area in which you could improve or change to make it better for the company or organization. In other words, it is a way of taking full ownership over something or an activity. But, there’s more than just that!
Being Accountable Means:
1. Accepting Responsibility on Behalf of Others
To be held accountable means accepted responsibility for something or acting on behalf of someone to fulfill an obligation.
When you act on behalf of another person, you take on their responsibilities, so you are accountable for the outcome depending on what it is, and you can’t blame others.
It also means you accept the consequences for the behaviors of others. If people are not held accountable, they are free from any repercussions of their actions.
However, if someone is responsible for something they did or failed to do, it usually means asking them to take responsibility or make amends for their behavior.
2. Acting Responsibly – Even when No-One is Looking
Being accountable means doing what needs to do even if nobody else seems interested in making sure it gets done. It is about holding yourself responsible for your words and actions, whether anyone else knows, sees, or not.
It also means taking ownership over the consequences of what you say and do while benefitting from others who take accountability for their own words and deeds too.
The primary focus should be on yourself first because you need to exhibit to earn and maintain the respect of those around you.
Take the time for self-reflection because accountability starts when you look at yourself and ask what you are doing right or wrong and how you can make it better.
Read also: 16 Character Traits of a Hard Worker
3. To Be Responsible for Your Work
When you are accountable for work, you are responsible for your actions and holding yourself to the highest standards. It means taking responsibility for what you do as part of your job so people can count on you.
The worst thing is when you don’t take responsibility for your work, and someone else has to pick up the slack. It’s a waste of time, and it shows that you are not accountable.
People who are always accountable carry themselves with confidence. They are reliable, trustworthy, dependable, loyal that’s why everyone wants them in their team.
4. You Take Initiatives
Being accountable is not about waiting for others to give you instructions before doing anything. Accountable people usually are not looking for someone to tell them what they should do. They take the initiative.
Many times, others wait until a boss tells them to do something before they act on it. But it is a positive thing when you take the initiative. The worst thing you can do is wait for someone else to tell you what needs doing.
With that kind of mindset, you will never grow if you sit there waiting for instructions or expecting others to lead the way. You will likely get stuck at the same place without ever progressing up the ladder.
Don’t let your career stagnate by not being accountable and take the initiative to work on something.
5. Your Work Ethic is Impeccable
An impeccable work ethic means you take pride in your work and do not make excuses for poor results. You are accountable for your actions, which includes accepting responsibility for mistakes.
You do your job on time and with satisfactory quality. Everyone is happy with the work that you produce, it’s good for them because they are getting the results they need.
You are maintaining high moral standards at all times, which means being polite, respectful, honest, reliable — basically whatever your boss needs from you daily. A person with an impeccable work ethic can lead by example.
Read more: How to Demonstrate Honesty and Integrity in the Workplace
6. You Never Miss Deadlines.
When you are accountable for your work, deadlines don’t seem so scary. You have a sense of what it takes to get the job done and make sure things happen on time. It is not a question of “if.” It’s a question of “when” something will get done.
Being accountable means that you do what needs to doing when it needs to be done, and in the accepted manner. Many people that frequently miss deadlines are not accountable and tend to be lazy or irresponsible.
7. No Blaming Others for Your Mistakes
The natural tendency when people make mistakes is to blame others and avoid accepting responsibility. Blame is the easy way out, and it makes them feel better.
If you are accountable for your actions, then there should be no one else to blame when you do wrong. To be accountable means taking responsibility for your mistakes and failures without blaming others. You know that it is the right thing to own your mistakes instead of putting them on someone else.
Holding oneself accountable means taking ownership of problems, learning from them, and correcting issues proactively instead of waiting until they become unmanageable and blame others.
Sure, everyone makes mistakes now and then. But if you don’t own up to your responsibilities as an employee, it will reflect poorly on you in the long run.
Accountability takes guts and courage because there are always people around who want someone else to shoulder the burden of failure.
8. Making Sacrifices for the Team
Taking responsibility for a team project is not an easy task. You have to make tough decisions and be responsible for the problems that the team creates.
If you do a good job, you can feel good about it. And knowing that you helped the team to build something meaningful is very satisfying.
Doing what is best for your team members means holding yourself responsible for mistakes made on the job. You are accountable to them and may have to make sacrifices for it like, not going home at the usual time to complete work.
Also read: What Are the SMART Criteria for Goal Setting?
9. You are Always on Time
If you are always on time to work, it might be that you are a highly responsible person. Being punctual not only means that you are accountable for your actions but also saves people from having to wait for you.
No one wants someone who always shows up late, flustered, and out of breath with excuses. You are reliable and dependable, which is why your boss might be happy to have you as a member of the team.
They can count on you without question because being punctual also signals to your boss that you are a committed member of the team.
Conclusion
What does accountable mean to you? It seems everyone has a different answer with some commonalities. Accountability is about accepting responsibility for your actions and behaviors as well as their consequences.
It also means that you take ownership over any mistakes made in the past or present and understand what repercussions will happen if you fail to meet some standards.
The most important thing is urgency — time is of the essence when dealing with accountability issues because they only get worse over time without action taken.
What does being accountable for your actions mean? Let us know in the comments below or contact us with any questions on this topic