Individual Accountability, Part of A Whole
AUTHORED BY JOHN LYON, CHIEF OF FINANCE @ GUIDEIT
The reality of organizational life is never black and white. More often than not, accountability is muddled and people are not fully aware of the direct connection between their efforts and results. We tend to keep ourselves from being productive simply by not holding ourselves accountable for our actions. It is of utmost importance to first hold yourself accountable for your own obligations, commitments, and actions before participating in a team environment.
Accountability is about improvement. Improve oneself, and the team will respectively improve. Tom Price nails it when he said, “One person’s embarrassment is another person’s accountability.” We are all in a leadership role, as all team members are responsible for contributing to the success of the organization. As leaders, without accountability, an organization would cease to exist. You not only betray yourself by not owning up to your responsibilities, but your team as well.
The major leagues would never send a player on the field who has consistently missed mandatory practices, for obvious reasons; such an action would diminish the collective hard work of the other team members, and scores would decline rapidly. The same goes for any type of team. There must be rules and adherence. A pattern toward advancing success. And that pattern begins with the individual.
It is up to me and no one else to make sure I am doing what I know I should be doing. When someone has to hold me accountable, because I failed to do what I should have done, I have a serious conversation with myself. My belief is that no one should have to hold me accountable for my actions, responsibilities and goals. While I appreciate others helping me get better, I am the one that must hold myself to a high standard.
I am convinced if you want to advance your life personally or professionally, you must hold yourself accountable for your actions, responsibilities, and goals. Think about it. Commitment is a choice and a decision that should be made responsibly. Why should it be someone else’s job to make sure you are doing the things that you know you should be doing?
