Accountability -A Key Strength

Accountability – A Key Strength of the True Professional

Have you ever noticed how hard it seems to be for some people to admit that they have made a mistake and, apparently, even harder for them to apologize. I have sometimes been surprised by the reaction of store clerks when I have pointed out that they have given me too much change and handed the excess back to them. Hardly ever have I received the response “I am sorry. Thank you for letting me know.” Too frequently has the response been a sort of grunt followed by an “OK.”

In fact, the example of how to behave towards colleagues and customers alike needs to be modeled by the senior management in any organization. Accountability needs to become a key attribute of all members of an organization. If the CEO is seen to treat people without respect: if he or she fails to accept responsibility for their actions, if they have problems in admitting when they make mistakes, this type of bad example will, inevitably, reverberate throughout the organization, top to bottom. This lack of accountability, will create a negative culture which, in turn, will significantly limit the growth of the organization.