Accountability entails being answerable to another person for a product, process, or result that is measurable in terms of quantity, quality, and time. When reviewing an employee’s role in an accountable system, three key questions should be asked: First, why does the job exist? Does it ultimately add value for the customers? (By “customers” we mean anyone who benefits from the organization’s work or products, including the patients of a hospital or the beneficiaries of a government agency.) Second, for what is this person held to account? Finally, how well does this individual fulfill that accountability?
Accountable jobs provide the platform for leadership development. Accountable work has consequences: rewards for work well done and sanctions for work that is not well done. A promotion in such a system is a move from one level of accountability to another. Performance has consequences; employees are promoted only by serving customers well and productively.
Author: Brian Dive
Source: strategy+business
Subjects: Accountability, Organizational Behavior
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