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.

You may have heard, it’s Autism Awareness Month. Some call it Autism Acceptance Month.
There are a lot of stereotypes around what Autism means. (Hint… it’s not just little boys obsessed with trains, who have meltdowns and can’t look you in the eye.)

A good way to learn more about Autism is from… Autistic people.

I just finished the book, Strong Female Character, by Fern Brady. Fern is a gifted comedian, and a late diagnosed (as an adult) Autistic woman. Her book made me laugh, cry, and think about all the unnecessary pain that so many Autistic people go through.

Most likely you know someone who’s neurodiverse. Maybe even yourself! Everyday people are learning about little challenges they have masked for so long, they don’t even realize they are doing it. To unmask is both liberating and scary. It’s an act of bravery and self-acceptance.

Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (formerly known as Asperger’s Syndrome, or sometimes even the watered down more easily accessible label of Highly Sensitive Person) is to live with an invisible disability. When we take the time to learn about the challenges that someone living with ASD goes through, it leads to greater empathy.

Having empathy for people who go through life differently, is important. It means knowing that we will never truly understand want it is like to be them.

Having empathy means trusting the person to know what their needs are.

Having empathy means being open to accommodating those needs, even if they cause a slight inconvenience.

Having empathy means understanding that we are all doing the best we can, and giving each other as much grace as possible.

It’s also about recognizing the amazing strengths of the neurodiverse brain. As a wise woman once said, we need all the brains!

Here are some books and podcasts I recommend (all by Autistics themselves) if you are interested in learning more about what it is like to live as an Autistic person. There are amazing gifts to understand and appreciate, and also challenge areas to be aware of.

Books

Strong Female Character, By Fern Brady (also a great comedian BTW!)

Unmasking Autism, By Devon Price

Podcasts

Meet My Autistic Brain ,By a Female Autistic Lawyer

The Square Peg Podcast ,Conversations with Autistics

You Tube

I’m Autistic, Now What?

Orion Kelly – That Autistic Guy

Bringing Autism (and neurodiversity in general) Awareness into the Workplace…

I teach Empowering People in the Workplace skills. The EPW concept that is helpful here is Perception. We tend to think that others perceive the world in the same way we do. It is useful to question that assumption.

Autism Acceptance Month is a good time to remember that everyone has different perceptions, and sometimes they are based on our neurotype.

June is Pride Month, and it’s a great time to consider what you are doing to foster a sense of belonging for all employees. Every organization is unique and it’s up to leaders to decide how to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), in a way that honors your unique workplace.

But what if you don’t have a DEI program? My advice is to do something. Anything is better than nothing! Mention pride month at a meeting. Bring in a rainbow dessert on a Friday. Put up some fun pride decorations in your office. Those are a few simple ideas. It’s ok to start small. Before you know it, DEI becomes a part of your everyday work culture. And that, after all is the goal!

I’m always looking for ways to help employees to be successful, and employers to get the work output they need, and to do it in a kind and respectful way. I think this article checks both boxes. If you are looking for a fresh approach to employee discipline, this SHRM article is well worth a read!

Have you given much thought to your daily habits? My favorite book on this subject is Atomic Habits, by James Clear.

Habits are so important for Leaders and Teams.

You can click on the link below to see the slides for a presentation I put together on effective habits. Enjoy!
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Effective Habits