How can you trust a leader’s vision, direction and motivation? Successful leaders have accountability in their decisions and actions that communicates confidence to their peers or superiors. Accountability is simply being willing to accept responsibility for ones actions, and to work in a manner that makes this readily apparent to others. Here are a few means by which to build accountability as a leader in your organization:
Make the goal clear. Ever drive in the rain with bad wipers? It’s hard to put your foot on the gas when you have trouble seeing where you are going. An accountable leader has a clear goal in mind. Something sure that they can communicate succinctly and directly. The difference between “We want to exceed $1.2 million in sales this year” and “We want to increase our sales somewhat over last year” is night and day. One goal is clear. The other is a wet noodle.
Turn toward the future. Moving forward solves all kinds of problems, the greatest being a desire to keep looking back at what might have been. The past cannot be changed. We can acknowledge it and learn from it. But dwelling in it won’t produce results. Instead turn to the future. An accountable leader is looking ahead to the next mountain on which to plant the flag. Further, as the map the future they are breaking that path down into manageable steps, so that everyone can see progress as they pursue what’s ahead.
Be willing to ask for help. Just because leaders often make decisions doesn’t mean that leaders have all the answers. Accountable leaders know when something is beyond their knowledge or scope. It’s not a weakness to ask for help. It’s wise. Accountable leaders surround themselves with others who can provide good counsel, or have experience that they lack. The desire to answer every question on your own is also a mark of pride, which is a dangerous emotional state for a leader as it often blinds one to great solutions and steps forward that come from other minds and different thinking.
Seek feedback. The same leadership ear that listens to good advice also seeks the opinions of others with respect to their planning, communication, decision-making and execution. People have a more difficult time trusting and following a leader who keeps everything in their own head, instead of sharing their leadership and seeking feedback from those around them. An isolated leader may lack downstream accountability as well. An open leader, though, both gives and receives constructive feedback that empowers the entire team.
“Character is who you are when no one else is looking.” It’s only when nobody else is watching—when you are alone, or when the social media cameras aren’t pointing at you—that you reveal who you are deep down.