Responsibility, Accountability, Ownership

How Responsibility, Accountability, and Ownership
Foster a Mutually Respectful and Productive Workplace

1. Responsibility
The first step in fostering a productive workplace is to clearly communicate responsibilities. While this may seem straightforward, it’s often more challenging than it appears. (That’s why, as an HR consultant, one of my top recommendations is frequently to update job descriptions!)

Job descriptions are crucial—they guide both the hiring process and performance management. Similarly, project kick-offs are essential moments for leaders to clearly define expectations.

Consider these questions:
Have I clearly defined each role?
Does the employee have an up-to-date and accurate job description?
Have I outlined the scope of responsibility for key projects?

2. Accountability
The second step is ensuring employees are meeting their responsibilities to an acceptable standard. This requires providing regular feedback, highlighting both successes and areas for improvement.

Ask yourself:
Do I actively hold employees accountable, or do I just hope they do their jobs well?

While trust is important, it is the manager’s responsibility to make sure the work is being done and done well. This sometimes means having tough conversations and making difficult decisions. It’s easy to give positive feedback, but how skilled are you at delivering constructive criticism?

The frequency of check-ins should match the employee’s level of competence. High performers might only need a quarterly check-in, while those struggling may require weekly—or even daily—feedback.

Providing constructive feedback is a critical skill, particularly when expectations aren’t being met or disruptive behaviors are present. It’s important to monitor not only for improvement but also how well the employee receives feedback. If you observe patterns of:
Blaming others
Rigidity
Difficulty managing emotions constructively

… you may be dealing with a High Conflict Personality (HCP). Recognizing this behavior and working with HR to mitigate its impact on the workplace is essential. Keep in mind, this behavior exists on a spectrum. Milder cases can be managed, but more severe cases require different strategies.

3. Ownership
The true beauty of employees who take ownership of their responsibilities is that they need less management. This frees up time for leaders to focus on growing the business and other leadership duties.

When employees take ownership, they feel empowered. It’s rewarding to be trusted with important work.

Reflect on this:
How many of my employees consistently take ownership of their responsibilities?

For those high performers who demonstrate ownership, be sure to acknowledge and reward their efforts. That’s the enjoyable side of management! But don’t let your time be consumed by the few employees causing the most issues.

By recognizing and rewarding the behavior and quality of work you want to see, you set a positive standard of accountability in the workplace.