Accountability

Does personal accountability matter anymore?

When we hear the word accountability, most think about owning up to our actions, taking responsibility, being transparent, and not making excuses. In society today, it is easy to “hide” and avoid being accountable because much of how we communicate is behind the cloak of anonymity.

We send text and emails to express our thoughts rather than speaking face-to-face to our friends, family, co-workers, and colleagues. In large corporations, accountability spreads across multiple people or departments to the point that no one is directly accountable. In small businesses, however, the lines of accountability are easily connected, making the likelihood of customer satisfaction higher.

Accountability makes you work harder and put forth your best effort. It is not enough to complete a task or take responsibility, most of us want to be proud of our actions.

From the personal vantage point of accountability, once you are grown only your moral compass monitors your actions. Whether you announce your intentions or keep them to yourself, doesn’t matter much; you know in your heart and head if you own your actions or make excuses. Making excuses and blaming others or circumstances might assuage your rationale, but the outcome is the same.

When people see that you act responsibly, they will likewise be quick to praise you when results are successful, or you deliver as promised.

The bottom-line is, being accountable to yourself is what matters, it will add to your self-confidence and quality of life.