Accountability: What to Do When Someone Falls Short

Image credit: Aakash Malik

We’ve talked about why accountability is important, how to increase your personal accountability, and how to promote a culture of accountability in the workplace.

Now we get down to the nitty gritty: What to do when someone falls short and is not owning up to it.

In the work place, this may take a variety of forms such as

• lying about what they did or didn’t do

• taking shortcuts instead of following proper procedures

• missing deadlines without communicating about it

• giving half effort to the work

• blaming others for their mistakes

• coming to meetings unprepared

How you approach the situation will depend on the specifics, but here are some general guidelines for addressing an employee who isn’t honoring their commitments or taking ownership of their actions.

Refresh yourself on why accountability can be difficult: As outlined in our previous blog, a lack of accountability doesn’t mean someone is a bad person. It means they’re human. We are hardwired to avoid discomfort, and accountability can bring up vulnerability, fear, or defensiveness. Keeping this in mind can help you move into the next step with empathy and a solutions focused mindset.

Avoid making assumptions: Enter the conversation with an open mind and the most generous interpretation of what’s happened. Be ready to discover new information you hadn’t considered. Keep the communication respectful and constructive, focusing on understanding, not blaming.

Explore the underlying cause: Maintain an open mind and a willingness to listen as you try to determine why they are struggling to follow through or be forthcoming about their work. There are countless possibilities. It may be that they’re not well-suited for the role, don’t feel safe speaking up, have an unmanageable workload, or have confusing directives. Listen for personal, structural, procedural, and cultural factors that may be contributing to the problem.

Explain what’s needed: Clearly outline your expectations so that they understand not only the specific tasks and standards required but also how their work contributes to the broader success of the company. This should include an explanation of why doing the work correctly matters, and the impact it has on others in the organization.

Identify the appropriate support: Using the information gathered about the person’s challenges or gaps, determine which resources, tools, or guidance could best help them meet expectations. This might include additional training, simplified processes, adjustments to workload, or a different style of management tailored to their needs. The goal is to provide targeted support that empowers the person to succeed and grow in their role.

Clarify expectations, consequences, and follow-up: Make sure both of you have a shared understanding of what success looks like. This includes when and how to communicate about progress or lack of progress. Establish a timeline for improvement, and what will happen if commitments aren’t met. Schedule a follow-up to check progress and reinforce accountability. Document the conversation and the agreements that were reached.

If you’ve done everything you can to support and guide someone but they still aren’t stepping up, it might be time to make some tough calls. That could mean moving them to a different role that is better suited to their abilities or letting them go so that the team can keep advancing forward.

At the end of the day, accountability isn’t about punishment, it’s about helping everyone do their part to keep things running smoothly. When you handle it with care and consistency, you build a workplace where people take responsibility and respect each other.

Struggling to navigate accountability issues? Let G2 Solutions help. Call us for a free consultation.