CREATING A CULTURE OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Kendra Ellis

Idaho State Director

Accountability

• “the quality or state of being accountable; especially: an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions.”

Merriam-Webster Definition

What does accountability mean to you?

• It means being responsible or being held in account for something

• Accountability means “you own it”

• To me it means acknowledging and accepting ones own choices and behavior. You're not only accountable to yourself but to those around you

• Accountability doesn’t mean working hard, or doing your best. I think we give ourselves too much credit sometimes for our intentions.

Why talk about accountability now?

Every hour needs to be an example of our intention; otherwise the hour is lost forever

and our opportunity to influence change goes with it.

Every workplace has a culture

• 94 percent of leaders and 88 percent of employees believe a distinct workplace culture is important to business success.

• 83 percent of executives and 84 percent of employees rank having engaged and motivated employees as the top factor that substantially contributes to a company’s success.

• There is a correlation between employees who say they are “happy at work” and feel “valued by their company,” and those who say their organization has a clearly articulated and lived culture

Deloitte’s Core Values and Beliefs survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive

The study also revealed there is a disconnect between organizations simply talking about their culture and those that are embedding

their beliefs into their operations

• Leaders have an inflated sense of their workplace culture when compared to employees based on significant differentials in their responses to questions about how culture is expressed in their organization.

• Only 19 percent of leaders and 15 percent of employees believe strongly that their culture is widely upheld within their own organizations.

Deloitte’s Core Values and Beliefs survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive

What is your default culture?

• The Cause and Effect understanding of the default culture must be reversed

• Relationships are the ends, not the means

• All intentions for an alternative future pivot on the choice to be accountable

A Culture of Accountability does not develop overnight…

Accountability and commitment from your team occurs as many moments of transformation.

Transformation occurs in public, in assembly, in meetings, when we are reminded we are part of

something larger. Private conversation, no matter how powerful, does not shift the

communal culture.

S = Set Expectations

Without clear job expectations, employees can:

• Waste effort due to a lack of priorities

• Waste time with unnecessary work

• Endure increased stress due to uncertainty

With clear job expectations, employees can:

•   Understand what is important and what they should be doing

•   Understand why they are doing their work

•   Know how they are doing and when to ask for support

•   Recognize where performance improvement can occur

S = Set Expectations

• Set job-specific goals tailored to the position and employee

• Make expectations part of an ongoing conversation

• Develop both short and long term goals

• Exhibit role model behavior when it comes to performance

I = Invite Commitment

• The more committed employees are, the more effective they are in influencing others. If a whole group acts with determination and commitment, great numbers of people will pay attention.

• Employees who are committed are the ones who don't take discouragement seriously -- they don't give up. They set an example for those who don't have the confidence or experience to go through the hard times and hold out for the rewards of success.

• If people are committed to an effort for a period of time, they will learn what they need to know to be more effective. People need time to try things out, make mistakes, and then figure out a strategy that works.

I = Invite Commitment

• Welcome people into your team

• Be open and clear about your mission, vision and values

• Model commitment yourself

• Give people work to dot and ensure the they are being challenged at the right level

• Listen, listen, listen…….then listen some more!

M = Measure Progress

M = Measure Progress

• Establish measurements for each goal or task that employees are expected to complete

Embassy provides tools for measurement, including:

• Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)

• OnFocus Dashboards

• Performance Management Tools (PMI, PRP)

• Customer and employee feedback

P = Provide Feedback

• When given correctly, helps improve job performance while promoting growth

• Improves employee morale and reduce confusion regarding expectations and current performance

• Feedback is either positive or constructive and both are necessary for employee accountability

P = Provide Feedback

P = Provide Feedback

• Be specific and timely

• Connect your feedback to the employee and company goals

• Put your message in writing as well as delivering it verbally

• Be clear and direct when providing negative feedback

• Remember, feedback is a two way street

L = Link to Consequences

• Employees need feedback in order to stay on track but they also need proper motivation

• Consequences are not necessarily negative, there are positive and neutral consequences in the workplace as well

• Consequences need to be consistent

E = Evaluate Effectiveness

• Implement a systematic and consistent method for ensuring that people are held accountable for the work that must get done

• A lack of accountability by one team member has a negative impact on the entire culture

Accountability is not about measuring intentions; it is about measuring results and outcomes

Questions?

For follow up learning or to share your success stories:

kellis@embassyllc.com