Accountability: what it is and its importance for companies

Completing an activity within a company in a timely manner is important. However, to achieve significant results, an accountability attitude is needed.

To learn more about this optimal way of working and the importance of promoting it in an organization, read on.

 What is Accountability in a company?

 When we talk about accountability in a company, we are referring to being responsible for the result of an activity, not just the action. That is, if you are in charge of carrying out a certain task and you fulfill it, that's fine, but being accountable means helping and collaborating with others so that this activity has a positive impact on the environment , which is linked to the result of the task. action itself.

By getting more involved, you can analyze the results, evaluate whether or not the initial objective was achieved and detect areas for improvement to close gaps and meet the desired goal.

What is accountability in leadership?

Accountability in leadership is the ability to assume responsibility for the results, actions and decisions made in an organization. It is a value that implies commitment, proactivity and transparency.

An accountable leader is not only accountable for his or her own achievements, but also engages and motivates his or her team to achieve goals ethically and efficiently.

Accountability is important in companies because it generates trust, innovation, satisfaction and communication.

When leaders are accountable, a stronger organizational culture is created that is aligned with the business strategy.

Accountability and marketing metrics

Accountability and metrics in marketing are concepts that have to do with responsibility and measuring the results of marketing actions.

Accountability means assuming responsibility for the objectives, decisions and problems that occur in the marketing area, as well as being transparent and proactive. Metrics are tools that allow evaluating the performance of campaigns, strategies and the marketing area in general, using objective and financial criteria.

Some of the most common metrics in marketing are: market share, brand recognition, ROI, branding, service quality, customer focus, and reputation.

To implement a culture based on accountability, we must not only measure “traditional” metrics such as those mentioned above, but also others such as: the most “intangible” assets of the company, such as branding, quality of service, focus on the customer or reputation.

We must also keep in mind that accountability not only applies at the individual level, but also at the level of the entire company, starting with management.

What is the organizational culture?

Organizational culture is the set of beliefs, values, habits, traditions, attitudes and experiences that define an organization and guide its way of acting and relating to its members and the environment.

Organizational culture is the personality of the organization, which reflects its identity, its vision, its mission and its objectives. It is important for companies because it influences the work environment, productivity, innovation, satisfaction and communication.

The organizational culture is made up of different elements, such as: the values ​​and norms that regulate the behavior of employees, the image and reputation that the company transmits to society, the selection and training process of workers and suppliers, the style of leadership and decision making, the degree of adaptation to change and diversity, among others.

Key factors for accountability

 We can talk about three essential factors:

• Responsibility : it is when we accept responsibility for the assigned tasks and the objectives to be achieved, whether they go well or if there are errors. This is where it is important to foster a culture of recognizing achievements and having them attributed to the right people.
• Proactivity : it is about employees saying goodbye to their passive role or just receiving orders to commit to their role and thus find how to achieve the objectives, making changes and improvements.
• Commitment : A person with accountability accepts the responsibilities and tasks that come with their position. To do them as well as possible, he does not accept tasks that he cannot perform or that take away his energy. Likewise, ask for help and information when necessary.

Benefits of accountability

Applying this tool in companies is essential, whatever the type and size of the company, in order to generate great results. Some of them are:

• Promotes responsibility and transparency
• Eliminate procrastination
• Encourage feedback and active listening
• Promotes worker initiative
• Promotes better labor relations

How does the lack of accountability affect?

When a person does not assume their responsibility or has the mentality of "that is not part of my job" it generates a negative impact not only on their work, but on the entire team, as it hinders the achievement of goals. Such a barrier can affect the entire company. Some problems that can arise when there is no accountability are:

• Objectives not met
• High staff turnover
• Feelings of frustration, mistrust and discontent
• Lack of integration in teams
• toxic environment
• Low performance of collaborators
• Low productivity
• Little commitment of collaborators
• Unclear priorities
• Communication problems

How to establish accountability

To create a culture based on accountability, some strategies must be followed:

1. Define clear and measurable objectives

For people to take responsibility for their tasks, it is necessary to define the actions to be carried out and the results. In this way, areas of opportunity can be identified and solutions implemented.

2. Do not punish errors and recognize merits

When a collaborator accepts their responsibility, but their assigned task did not meet the objective, what is recommended to do is ask if they had everything they needed or if the deadlines were realistic. 

If the case is a success, then it is best to recognize and point it out to motivate him to do his best.

3. Do not look for blame or make excuses

Creating a company with accountability is not about pointing out failures or blaming, but about identifying what is not working in order to improve it.

4. Encourage feedback

This reduces the possibility of them confusing what is expected of them. The ideal is to create a two-way feedback system to achieve a safe space.

5. Look for quick and effective solutions

When a mistake is made, it is best to identify and recognize it to get to work and resolve it as soon as possible. With this, an environment of continuous improvement is generated that positively impacts the company's results.

6. Evaluate and improve

Reviewing the objectives and studying them reveals the strengths and areas for improvement. Likewise, it allows you to change what is not working and continue improving.

Written by Moises Hamui Abadi : I am an entrepreneur, founding partner of Viceversa and SoyMacho. After leading several digital businesses and advising several other businesses; I decided to form MHA Consulting, a digital marketing consultancy dedicated to growing and empowering digital businesses in more than 7 countries and generating more than 1,500 million pesos.