My bad…

My bad. In the time frame I grew up, putting those two words together would not have made much sense. Now-a-days, it’s become a modern version of “I’m sorry”. It seems that happens a lot in our culture and with young adult children at home I get to hear most of them as they become popular. The thing I like about this phrase is the personal pronoun actually invokes some level of accountability by the person using it. Accountability is closely related to apologies, but while admitting failure or mistakes has never been popular it seems even more offensive these days.

We have to ask the question why? Why has accountability lost traction? Why do we point fingers of blame at others while somehow justifying our actions and bad attitudes? I believe it is out of fear that the blame game is played. In other words, my place or position with the organization is unstable enough that I fear for my job or career if I make a mistake. No one is perfect, myself included. I’ve done some incredible things professionally in the last two decades, but I have made some horrific mistakes along my career path as well. I am a proponent of a work place culture that is both open to and accepting of mistakes. Failure is the price of progress, without it there is no innovation and creativity. Dodging responsibility, on the other hand, is never acceptable. The impact of a mistake is far more dangerous when someone refuses to own it.

How do we create an environment where it is safe to fail but not ok to be accountable?

Communicate expectations clearly
One of my go to phrases is that all unspoken expectations are unrealistic. Since none of us can read minds, the only way to bring clarity to expectations is to communicate them effectively. In order to have clarity to your job, roles and responsibilities expectations must be clear. Unclear or vague expectations lead to frustration around performance and responsibility. Expectations should include performance-related items (measurable and time-boxed objectives), personal growth items (professional/technical skills), leadership competencies (skills to assist with leading/working more effectively with others) and cultural DNA (your organizations core values).

Open, honest, careful communication
I have learned to take criticism in a constructive manner in spite of the way it’s delivered. That’s not an easy thing to do and it takes time as well as discipline to learn how to do that. This type of communication can become tense when people start taking it personally. Learning to handle constructive criticism is a part of the training and mentoring process that is all too often overlooked. It’s also important to note that participants must also be willing to learn when it comes to these sorts of things as well. If you encounter people that are unwilling to learn, they either need to be moved to an environment that suits them, or be transitioned out of the organization. The last part of the equation involves “careful” communication. It’s another skill that needs diligence and self-awareness to be learned properly. Delivering difficult news is never an easy thing, but it is always necessary to be able to do it effectively. The recipient is likely to be more receptive if there is care given to the words, tone and body language used while communicating.

Establish boundaries and consequences
Consequences have such a negative connotation, but we all deal with them every day. Everyone knows that is you drive 75 mph in a 45 mph zone, eventually you will likely have to face some consequences. The idea of boundaries is paramount in the process of developing healthy relationships and parenting, so they are no less important at work. The consequences do not apply to someone that makes a mistake, but rather to those 
trying to deflect responsibility, cast blame on others or those acting in some other defensive way.

Having an environment that is accepting of failure but requires accountability is crucial to every organization. Educating employees toward the emotional intelligence and self-awareness required to handle criticism effectively is just as crucial. Try to find ways that you can assist your organization with changes in the organizational environment or educational offerings to assist the growth of everyone.