Business Execution

The Ultimate No BS Guide to Employee Accountability

Garnering employee accountability can feel like searching for unicorns in an enchanted forest.

More specifically, getting your team to take responsibility for themselves, their actions, and their work can be challenging. When you’re not successful, it can be downright disappointing.

As a small business owner or corporation leader, you likely know firsthand it’s possible to achieve incredible results when a team is inspired and accountable.

Here are some ideas on how to successfully incite employee accountability within your organization?

Moving Past the Victim Mentality

In their book, The Oz Principle: Getting Results through Individual and Organizational Accountability, authors Roger Connors, Tom Smith, and Craig Hickman argue that just like the characters discover in the classic, The Wizard of Oz, we all have it within ourselves to achieve greatness; we don’t need someone else to give us the tools to get the results we desire.

It’s easy to get sucked into a victim mentality: We ignore or deny problems. We decide something “isn’t my job” and leave it unattended. We point fingers at others or claim confusion when we don’t complete a task as asked. Perhaps worst of all, we play the “wait and see” game, and if things go south, we do our best to cover our tails.

Instead of hanging around the “victim camp,” hike past it. Establishing employee accountability begins with laying down clear expectations and defining acceptable results. It requires engaging everyone involved and persisting even when things get tough.

Think differently and don’t be afraid to use innovation to create new solutions. Take the initiative and encourage your teammates to do the same. Just because something isn’t “your job” doesn’t mean you can’t attend to it under certain circumstances. Above all, stay conscious of what you’re doing and how other variables could lead to even more wins for the team.

Above the Line / Below the Line

I use a chart in my coaching practice that’s inspired by this book to help business owners and leaders see how to motivate employee accountability. It’s called “Above the Line/Below the Line.”

Ownership

Accountability

Responsibility

_____________

Blame

Excuses

Denial

Here’s a big idea: We all need to focus on staying “above the line” as business people. Unfortunately, during a tough day or week, we slip. Our goal must be to build our mental muscle tone so that we can pull ourselves back up over the line to be victors instead of victims.

As you implement this mentality into your daily and weekly routine, your team will take notice. Lead by example and help the people around you make progress through their realizations and strengths. Everyone should strive to remain “above the line.”

Ultimately, it’s up to you to foster employee accountability within your organization. As an active leader, your example speaks volumes to those around you, and your actions will pave the way for transformation.

If you’ve not read it, I highly recommend checking out The Oz Principle: Getting Results through Individual and Organizational Accountability. You’ll learn more about how to successfully drive your team to greatness.

Personal accountability is critical to all business success. If you want to know more about ensuring a higher level of accountability, please fill out my contact form for a complimentary coaching session.

Coach Dave

10 CRITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF A BUSINESS OWNER

LEARN MORE about the book or fill out the form below to download it.

Follow Dave
Dave Schoenbeck

Dave Schoenbeck is a professional business and executive coach who translates complex business methods, processes, and strategies into actionable plans to dramatically improve financial results. Read more about Dave here.

Share
Published by
Dave Schoenbeck

Recent Posts

Key Consumer Behavior Trends Shaping the Market

Learning how to identify trends in consumer habits is an invaluable skill for a business…

3 days ago

Here’s Why Entrepreneurs Need to Understand Customer Insights and Analytics

I’ve always championed going beyond customer satisfaction to achieve customer delight. When we try to…

1 week ago

Effective Crisis Management Strategies for Entrepreneurs

How well do you handle emergencies as a business owner? An adaptable entrepreneur considers crisis…

2 weeks ago

Successfully Navigating Supply Chain Disruptions

Business owners can face unprecedented disruptions to everyday processes when the future feels uncertain. An…

3 weeks ago

How to Create a Customer Referral Program for Your Small Business

Customer referrals are indispensable if you want to grow your customer base organically. A referral…

1 month ago

Tips for Maximizing Marketing ROI for Your Small Business

Why is marketing return on investment (ROI) so difficult to measure? The truth is that…

1 month ago