Culture of Accountability (Part 1)
Key ways to create a culture of accountability in your organization
There is often a tension amongst leaders when it comes to accountability. Many leaders find themselves responsible for holding others accountable to a variety of measurable (and sometimes difficult to measure) metrics while also not feeling like they have a good system in place to understand how they themselves are being measured. Accountability is something we all need yet is difficult to put in place for a variety of reasons.
But first, we have to evaluate how accountability starts with understanding. And our past, present and future as well as that of those we lead also informs our accountability and understanding. Let’s look at the seven ways to create a culture of accountability in our organization:
1. Understand Behavioral Similarities & Differences (Our Present, Our Past & Our Future)
When accountability starts with understanding, we are keenly aware of the similarities between us and those we hold accountable. Behavioral similarities offer each of us a place of familiarity to draw on when working together. These similarities also come in handy when we are trying to work through a difficult problem. Our present circumstances are informed by the past which shapes and informs our future!
Daniel Siegel’s book The Developing Mind reveals how psychologists have proven that much of our emotional state and decision making is informed by our past upbringing and environments. There is little argument against the notion that our formative years before adolescence go on to inform our adulthood emotional state.
And it isn’t always about a negative experience such as abuse or neglect. It can be positive too! In a 2016 study on children’s emotional regulation, the authors point out three key ways that parents can positively influence a child’s emotional regulation as they grow older:
Parental warmth and support. Children who perceive their parents as warm and supportive are more likely to have positive emotional states. This is likely because parents who are warm and supportive provide their children with a sense of security and belonging, which helps them to cope with stress and adversity.
Parental scaffolding. Parents who provide scaffolding for their children's emotional development help them to learn how to identify, understand, and regulate their emotions. This can be done by talking to children about their emotions, helping them to find healthy ways to express their emotions, and teaching them coping skills.
Parental modeling. Children learn by watching the adults in their lives. When parents model healthy emotional regulation, children are more likely to learn how to do the same. This means that parents who are able to manage their own emotions in a healthy way are setting a good example for their children.
So do you get it? Our present (because of our past) cannot be ignored as we seek accountability for ourselves and others in our organizations.
2. Understanding Each Other’s Past
Imagine that you are sitting with an employee who has just walked out of a meeting you were both in and they lost their temper or got a little emotional. If we think that their show of emotion is only about their present circumstances, we are kidding ourselves.
It is one thing to have a better understanding about where we come from and how that informs our current circumstances. However, we must also better understand those that we seek to hold accountable and how their past circumstances might inform their current state… and yes, also their future.
I’m a HUGE fan of personality and strengths assessments. While some may believe that these assessments just tell you what you already know to be true, my challenge to those statements is “Someone has to say it in order for it to be seen, evaluated and used.” I’ve taken countless assessments and the way that they have all begun to form a bit of a bullseye on my personality, working leadership style and personal strengths is an incredible feat.
As a sidenote, if you have not recently taken a DISC assessment, I strongly encourage it. You can do it on my website and get a 30-minute coaching call for under $100. It is money and time well-spent. Just click this link and it will take you directly to the assessment site.
One of the key points I’ve learned from the past 20 years of using DiSC is that it not only reveals my own tendencies, but it gives me a common language with my co-workers to help us better understand each other. Let’s start using the tools and skills that we’ve learned though to not only work on ourselves but also better understand those we work with and are around each day.
We’ll look at the other ways Accountability and Understanding are connected over the next few weeks…