While doing some leadership research, I ran across this observation in an article I was reading: 

“Holding people accountable is fine and well, but it should only be used as a last resort.”

Fine and well? Last resort? What horrifying advice!

In teams that I’ve led or been a member of, accountability was an inescapable success factor for managing a function or responsibility and for leading people or one’s self—it was an expectation or parameter established and communicated upfront.

Accountability—understanding and acknowledging the consequences, good or bad, of our actions and behaviors—is a fundamental principle of management. I see leadership coming into play in how accountability is communicated and carried out:  be it the big stick, developmental feedback along the way, or some other mechanism.

Accountability is the process of being called to account to some authority for one’s actions. ~Richard Mulgan, political scientist

As this survey from the Partners in Leadership website shows, a high price in lost productivity and other intangibles is paid if these ground rules for performance aren’t created in advance.

Perhaps where accountability gets mucked up (and what I hope the article author meant but didn’t say) is in thinking it only comes into play when people fail.  Addressing lack of compliance and failure to perform can be uncomfortable especially if negative emotions are involved. But uncomfortable or not, having those difficult conversations is a part of leadership that can’t be ignored or delegated.

The leader has a personal accountability to the team to have tough conversations and to occasionally make tough decisions with individuals. ~Elaine Agather, J.P.Morgan

If we’re to call ourselves effective managers and leaders, we must hold ourselves accountable for holding those around us accountable, too. We hold ourselves accountable for communicating and setting expectations upfront as well as for coaching and giving feedback along the way. And if that fails, we help those get back on track.

I hope leaders see that accountability includes positive emotions as well. Delegating specific authority and seeing people step up and take responsibility for results is part of personal development. So is identifying and fixing the skill or will elements involved in missing the mark. Nothing negative there!

Accountability breeds response-ability. ~Stephen Covey

What is your opinion of the opening quote? Agree or disagree?

What best practices have you seen for using accountability?

Image source before quote:  morgueFile.com | Chart from Partners in Leadership