CREATING A CULTURE OF

ACCOUNTABILITY

Kendra Ellis
Idaho State Director
 Accountability

• “the quality or state of being accountable; especially:

an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility
or to account for one's actions.”
Merriam-Webster Definition
 What does accountability mean to you?

• It means being responsible or being held in account for

something
• Accountability means “you own it”
• To me it means acknowledging and accepting ones own
choices and behavior. You're not only accountable to
yourself but to those around you
• Accountability doesn’t mean working hard, or doing your
best. I think we give ourselves too much credit sometimes
for our intentions.
 Why talk about accountability now?

Every hour needs to be an example of our intention;

otherwise the hour is lost forever and our opportunity to
influence change goes with it.
 Every workplace has a culture
• 94 percent of leaders and 88 percent of employees believe a
distinct workplace culture is important to business
success.
• 83 percent of executives and 84 percent of employees rank
having engaged and motivated employees as the top
factor that substantially contributes to a company’s success.
• There is a correlation between employees who say they
are “happy at work” and feel “valued by their company,”
and those who say their organization has a clearly articulated
and lived culture

Deloitte’s Core Values and Beliefs survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive

 The study also revealed there is a disconnect between
organizations simply talking about their culture and those
that are embedding their beliefs into their operations

• Leaders have an inflated sense of their workplace

culture when compared to employees based on
significant differentials in their responses to questions
about how culture is expressed in their organization.
• Only 19 percent of leaders and 15 percent of
employees believe strongly that their culture is widely
upheld within their own organizations.

Deloitte’s Core Values and Beliefs survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive

 What is your default culture?

• The Cause and Effect understanding of the default

culture must be reversed

• Relationships are the ends, not the means

• All intentions for an alternative future pivot on the

choice to be accountable
 A Culture of Accountability does not
develop overnight…

Accountability and commitment from your team occurs as

many moments of transformation.

Transformation occurs in public, in assembly, in meetings,

when we are reminded we are part of something larger. Private
conversation, no matter how powerful, does not shift the
communal culture.
 S = Set Expectations
Without clear job expectations, employees can:
• Waste effort due to a lack of priorities
• Waste time with unnecessary work
• Endure increased stress due to uncertainty

With clear job expectations, employees can:

•   Understand what is important and what they should be doing
•   Understand why they are doing their work
•   Know how they are doing and when to ask for support
•   Recognize where performance improvement can occur
 S = Set Expectations

• Set job-specific goals tailored to the position and

employee
• Make expectations part of an ongoing conversation
• Develop both short and long term goals
• Exhibit role model behavior when it comes to
performance
 I = Invite Commitment
• The more committed employees are, the more effective they are
in influencing others. If a whole group acts with determination
and commitment, great numbers of people will pay attention.
• Employees who are committed are the ones who don't take
discouragement seriously -- they don't give up. They set an
example for those who don't have the confidence or experience
to go through the hard times and hold out for the rewards of
success.
• If people are committed to an effort for a period of time, they
will learn what they need to know to be more effective. People
need time to try things out, make mistakes, and then figure out
a strategy that works.
 I = Invite Commitment

• Welcome people into your team

• Be open and clear about your mission, vision and
values
• Model commitment yourself
• Give people work to dot and ensure the they are
being challenged at the right level
• Listen, listen, listen…….then listen some more!
M = Measure Progress
 M = Measure Progress

• Establish measurements for each goal or task that

employees are expected to complete
Embassy provides tools for measurement, including:
• Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
• OnFocus Dashboards
• Performance Management Tools (PMI, PRP)
• Customer and employee feedback
 P = Provide Feedback

• When given correctly, helps improve job

performance while promoting growth
• Improves employee morale and reduce confusion
regarding expectations and current performance
• Feedback is either positive or constructive and both
are necessary for employee accountability
P = Provide Feedback
 P = Provide Feedback

• Be specific and timely

• Connect your feedback to the employee and
company goals
• Put your message in writing as well as
delivering it verbally
• Be clear and direct when providing negative
feedback
• Remember, feedback is a two way street
 L = Link to Consequences

• Employees need feedback in order to stay on track

but they also need proper motivation
• Consequences are not necessarily negative, there are
positive and neutral consequences in the workplace
as well
• Consequences need to be consistent
 E = Evaluate Effectiveness

• Implement a systematic and

consistent method for ensuring that
people are held accountable for the
work that must get done
• A lack of accountability by one
team member has a negative impact
on the entire culture
 Accountability is not about measuring
intentions; it is about measuring results and
outcomes
 Questions?

For follow up learning or to share your

success stories:

kellis@embassyllc.com