Accountability is a cornerstone for fostering success, whether in the classroom, the lab, the clinic, the office, and everywhere else work and learning happens. At its core, accountability is the connection between actions, or the lack thereof, and concrete consequences, whether positive or negative.
Oftentimes, when talking about accountability, we tend to focus on results:
- Was that important project completed?
- Were the deadlines met?
- Was the quality up to the standard?
Accountability for development answers a different set of questions. It is about HOW the work is done. Development is the way we address immediate skill gaps and work toward long-term career goals:
- Did they acquire new skills?
- Did they improve? What, if anything, did they learn?
- Are they current with new information and knowledge?
While the concept of development is appealing—learning, growing, and advancing—its execution is challenging, requiring motivation, time, effort, focus, and a willingness to step outside one's comfort zone.
Steps to create accountability for development
1. Define the development goal
Collaborate with the employee to determine the development goal and describe it in clear, behavioral terms. Utilizing a competency model and a "from-to" approach helps align on what success looks like and where the employee is starting.
2. Clarify your roles
Development is a two-way street. As a supervisor, you can provide encouragement and support, offer ongoing feedback and coaching, and help connect the employee to necessary resources such as training or mentoring. The employee, in turn, must also proactively seek feedback, ask for support, and have ownership of their development. Studies show the degree to which people accept responsibility for their successes/failures likely influences managers’ ratings of credibility, dedication, and competence.
3. Assess progress to sustain momentum and motivation
Accountability for performance goals is not easy, but there is a hierarchy of consequences, such as various forms of rewards and recognition that can be described when someone achieves or does not achieve the outcome (see Accountability Ladder, page 3 of the Driving Accountability Quick Guide). Consequences for development or, lack thereof, can be less immediate and more subtle. With time, most jobs change due to new technologies and shifts in how the work is done. As a result, skills can become obsolete, with new skills requiring priority and development.
Development needs to be prioritized to stay current and effective in your role, but also to be ready should other opportunities arise. In giving development feedback, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. For some, a conversation check-in conversation is enough, while others may need more coaching. As a supervisor, you can:
- Provide feedback. Evaluate progress and give regular feedback. If progress is evident, be sure to provide recognition by praising the person’s efforts. If progress is lacking, be sure to provide feedback and have a direct conversation to understand why the person is struggling.
- Connect to goals. Help find practice opportunities by aligning their development focus with existing goals and projects.
- Consider mentoring. Mentor, or connect the employee with a mentor who can help them build the skills they need to develop.
- Maximize formal learning opportunities. Many factors need to be aligned to enable a person to learn from coaching or any professional development experience, the quick guide to Maximizing Employee Learning goes into more detail on what you, as a manager can do to help employees draw the greatest possible benefit from an upcoming development opportunity.
Recognition, more autonomy, greater flexibility, opportunities to job-craft or redefine aspects of one’s role, consideration for future roles and projects, mentoring, and formal learning opportunities are all positive consequences that can be considered for successful achievement of development goals. Understanding employee motivation and how you can meaningfully change consequences and incentives will help you drive and sustain employee progress.
4. Follow through to set a learning culture
How you choose to enact accountability in one case will influence future behavior through an accountability feedback loop. Everyday team actions influence your team’s organizational culture. Questions worth reviewing include:
- How important is learning on your team?
- How are you and others allowing for time and resources to learn?
- How is learning and development modeled and prioritized? Conversely, how long can one continue before their skills become obsolete or ineffective in their role?
Consistent and fair accountability practices build credibility and reinforce effective behaviors. Over time, this approach encourages a culture of continuous improvement and development, benefiting both individuals and your team. For example, a manager who consistently recognizes and rewards employees' efforts to learn new skills will likely see increased motivation and performance across the team.
Establishing accountability for development requires dedication, clear communication, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By fostering a supportive environment where both managers and employees share responsibility, we can drive meaningful development and achieve lasting success. Encouraging a culture of growth and development shifts the focus from judgment and punishment to coaching and improvement, ultimately benefiting not only the individual, but the University as a whole.
