Real Accountability
Posted: March 12, 2009 | Amanda Fildes
The word “accountability” gets thrown around a lot. You hear it when discussing everything from elected officials to the CEO’s of the big three automakers.
But what does it mean?
As a professional, it means that you accept responsibility for the outcomes expected of you. Merriam-Webster defines accountability as “The quality or state of being accountable; especially: an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.”
Merriam-Webster’s definition is good, but there is an important difference between “obligation” and “willingness” to accept responsibility or account for actions.
As individuals and businesses, we are frequently faced with obligations to be accountable. A congressman must be accountable to his constituents and an employee must be accountable to their boss. These obligations for accountability don’t drive real results. This definition accepts that there are always things you could have done differently to change an outcome.
The willingness to be accountable is different. It is an inherent characteristic that drives you to surpass expectations, outdo goals, and actually deliver on your obligation. An individual or business that possesses this trait accepts your success as their own success.
My definition of real accountability isn’t just the willingness to accept responsibility but to actually deliver against it. This definition understands and accepts that if you are unable to deliver on the obligations you weren’t really accountable at all.
No disrespect to Merriam-Webster.
