Developing a Culture of Accountability
  
  
Developing a culture of accountability becomes an issue when accountability is noticeably missing within an organization. When accountability becomes an issue, look first to the existing organizational culture for clues for change.

  

How does culture inform accountability?

  

The primary factors in an organization's culture are very similar to other types of cultures. They define the 'rules of the road,' or what it really takes to be successful here, to fit in, to be seen as belonging to the group.

 
Culture explains why people do what they do and trumps formal published rules or the text on printed cards in every employee's wallet.

  
In organizations where managers and employees agree on what is to be done, follow through, keep their commitments, and deliver on promises, accountability is not an issue.

   
When employees and managers act as if they are 100% responsible for their relationships, own performance, behavior, and even thoughts, accountability soars. 

  
Even in very distressed groups, individual employees, responding to their own work ethic and values, may maintain their personal commitment to accountability, even though they may be singled out for derision, 'brown nosing,' or isolation.

  
When they include a pattern of responsiveness to others, treating even the most egregious of their colleagues with dignity and respect, they can stand out from the pack and be seen as part of the team by the ne'er-do-wells.

  
On the other hand, when most employees, and managers, do not seek agreements, disregard, or don't kept agreements that are made, do not follow through and keep commitments and promises, and suffer no noticeable consequences, accountability becomes an issue.

  
At this point, accountability is no longer an individual issue. Lack of accountability has become the cultural norm: the way we do things here. 

  
Accountability for Performance and Behavior

  
The first step in achieving accountability is knowing, and understanding, expectations and consequences. While 'company policy' or 'The Employee Handbook' may set expectations, it is the day-to-day interpretation of expectations that are primary in guiding employee behavior. Published expectations are always trumped by what is done.

  
Organizational culture, as made visible by everyday behavior, is the more potent force in determining employee behavior, including accountability. 

  
When managers and employees honor individual differences while maintaining the integrity of the team, trust that co-workers will cover their back, and speak up when agreements aren't honored, accountability will become 'the way we do things here.'

 
Making the shift to a culture of accountability starts with acknowledging current behaviors and activities that aren't meeting the desired standards. Then, start defining the desired practices. The format for the numbered part isn’t holding in this email, please leave space before each one and then indent them all so the number is standing to the left and the text is to the right. Also, leave a space between paragraphs as we usually do.


Who does what? What practices just need to be shifted to get to where need/want to be? What needs a major change?

  1. Identify both management practices and employee behavior that are role models for undesirable behavior/performance. Look at both ends of unacceptable: smaller deviations from desired norms as well as egregious behavior at the edge of respect/anarchy, i.e. never show up for work, not work when there, extreme 'bad' behavior, lying, cursing, plagiarism, systematic undermining management authority, compromising employment law, sabotage employee/organization productivity and/or profitability for personal gain, undermine another work group.

  2. Put the whole group on notice that changes need to be made. Develop a clear vision and consistent message about what will be happening. Be prepared for employee involvement, push back, and even relief. If things have really gotten out of hand, everyone knows what has been going on. It hasn't been a secret.

  3. Choose 2-3 intervention strategies. These can be as basic as people not showing up for work and/or not performing at the level expected for a position, or as egregious as a manager or supervisor showing overt favoritism to selected direct reports. The first intervention strategies can be for issues that are the easiest to rectify or those that will affect the largest number of people. Start with no more than three interventions. More will become unworkable.

  4. Layout a plan that all are able and willing to implement. Then take action. Not to take action, not to intervene, will mean a serious hit on management integrity and respect.

  5. Don't be surprised if employees not directly involved in the intervention will start cleaning up their behavior. And some will get angry, complaining the changes are unfair. 'They should be able to do what they've always been doing.' Staying the course, continuing the change process will soon demonstrate resolve for making the changes permanent. 

Two quick cases:

 
For Sam, who managed Carl, an employee not working at a professional level, the intervention meant shortening benchmark dates for completion and reviews, and monitoring Carl's work on a regular schedule. Sam complained he shouldn't have to 'baby sit' Carl. I could only agree. He shouldn't have to do this. He hadn't hired Carl. He'd inherited him when he stepped up after his former manager had been promoted. Now, that manager was holding Sam responsible for a lack of performance he himself had tolerated. (No one ever said life at work was fair!)

 
Sam had a number of coaching and counseling conversations with this irksome employee, centering on clear expectations, feedback on his performance, and the effect of the employee's choices of work habits.

  
Sam was able to implement a very effective approach to holding a chronically underperforming employee accountable: pull the management and review reins very tight and make expectations very visible. In these situations, employees will either get the message, recognize the unpleasant consequences of shirking their responsibilities and choose to work at level, or go find another job where they can continue to gold brick. (Carl took the second option.)

  
It took a considerable effort on Sam's part to work with Carl, but he finally had an open req and was able to quickly fill the position with someone who is making a real contribution to the department. Off the record, other employees told Sam how pleased they were that Carl was gone.

  
Janet also inherited a non-performing employee. After a long time variable attendance pattern, Jim stopped coming to work altogether. He had many friends at work, and often called them during their work hours, and socialized after hours. He just didn't come to work. Often a co-worker/friend would tell Janet that Jim 'was sick.' But no word from Jim himself despite numerous phone messages left by Janet.

  
Finally, after conferring with HR, Janet wrote a straightforward letter to Jim delivered to his address of record, telling him his job was in jeopardy, he was AWOL, and needed to contact her within 14 days.

  
The fourteen days came and went with no word from Jim.

 

Janet continued to process the involuntary termination procedure, eventually resulting in his formal termination. All the letters were sent to his address of record. Jim had signed all the receipts. He never contacted Janet or HR, but continued to complain to his friends about his poor treatment by his employer.

  
Nonetheless, a number of other employees with variable attendance records started coming to work more regularly.

  
As both of these examples illustrate, bringing accountability to a work setting starts with a clear understanding of organizational culture: what has been fostering a lack of accountability in the organization? What performance levels and behaviors have been acceptable? How has a 'do as you want rather than do as we decided' mode become acceptable. What management and leadership tools are missing or being misapplied? How have consequences of inappropriate performance and/or behavior come to be ignored or absent?

  
After the analysis comes the grueling hard work. When employees are no longer accountable for their actions, and managers are no longer applying the management tools that would rectify the situation, the best solution is for someone up the line of command to step up, set clear expectations for accountability, provide the tools and resources necessary to support the change, and then hold his or her direct reports accountable for holding their employees accountable.

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Since 1986, Patricia Wiklund, Ph.D. has helped some of America's largest, and smallest, organizations resolve expensive and troublesome people problems and conflicts by leveraging the strategic power of soft skills®. A former mental health professional, she is as comfortable on the front line, as on the shop floor, or in the corporate executive suite, and also works effectively in government and educational settings. Call her today at 415 641-5997, or email her at pat@patwiklund.com to discuss how she can help you put your people and organizations back on track.

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