To work with people who are talented is great, but to work with people who take charge and are sensible enough to answer for their actions is even better. Accountability is one virtue that every company wishes for their employees, although not all of them are able to integrate this into their system.
The thing is managers are presumed to personify this quality given that they’re holding a post that automatically puts them in a big place to fill. One the other hand, you won’t become a great manager if you don’t have a single hair of accountability in your head. Personal accountability isn’t limited to delivering what is asked of you. It also entails the assumption of responsibility particularly when something goes wrong and you need to own up to it.
The question is: what should you do to embody this trait more? Here are seven ways you can do to make good at it.
# 1. Familiarize yourself with your role
The first step to developing personal accountability is by familiarizing yourself with your role in the workplace as well your tasks. It’s not enough that you know that being a manager entails big responsibilities; what matters more is that you’re knowledgeable about every task given to you. If you’re new to the position and still adjusting, you can ask your boss to delineate your tasks and share with you their expectations.
Keep in mind that while it’s important that you’re clear with your job description, you should also be able to accommodate additional responsibilities that the company might require you to assume in the future.
# 2. Manage your time wisely
The thing about being a manager is that even if it gives new and bigger tasks, it doesn’t really give you more hours to your day. So if you’re used to managing your time well even before you got promoted, you need to utilize the same skill now that you are a manager.
Remember that from this point forward, there’s going to be a lot expected from you so it only makes sense that you make the best of your eight-hour shift. Come to work on time and do your best to meet your deadlines. Moreover, learn how to set priorities and discern how important each task is. That way, you’ll be able to work on what’s important first and put off the ones that can wait.
# 3. Be as organized as you can
If you’re able to spend your time wisely, staying organized will be a cakewalk. This feat also demands sound judgment on whether a task should go on top of your priority list and why. Set yourself a system of doing your daily duties and do them at a time when you think you’re most efficient, depending on the kind of work. Also, since not all managers have an assistant, it would be wise if you keep a calendar of your daily grind so that you can stay on top of everything efficiently.
# 4. Learn how to say NO
While managers are assumed to have the ability to do everything that is handed to them, it doesn’t mean that you have to. You may be the manager but it doesn’t mean you should be taking more tasks that you can handle. Taking a huge share of the pie and not being able to deliver is not impressive and can damage the trust accorded to you by the company. Have a clear idea what your tasks are so that it will be easier for you to gauge whether you should accommodate or decline an additional assignment.
# 5. Own up to your mistakes
Managers may be on the higher rungs of the workplace’s corporate ladder, but it doesn’t mean that they’re perfect. And while it’s crucial that you remain honest in the workplace, part of being trustworthy is owning up to your mistakes and apologizing. Carve into your pride a room for humility and take responsibility for things that you failed to execute. Your colleagues will appreciate your sincerity and will take this as a sign of maturity.
# 6. Ask for help
A good way of developing accountability is by involving other people. If, for instance, you have a project that evidently calls for the input of more than person (that one being you), include a team of selected staff members to help you carry out the task. Asking others for help indicates sensibleness because you’re communicating to them that you’re willing to share credit. Just remember to regulate the amount of assignments you’re delegating and make sure it doesn’t interfere with everybody’s efficiency.
Bonus tip: Reward yourself
A manager’s job is probably one of the most taxing in an organization. Not only are they supposed to orchestrate smooth operations among those under them, they also have to report to their superiors and do a lot of things in between. Don’t let the monotony take over your life and cut yourself some slack when you deserve it. If you’ve successfully accomplished a big task or you’re able to exceed the company’s expectations, reward yourself with something that can boost your morale and that will remind you of your achievement.
The bigger the shoes you need to fill in, the more effort you should exert in being efficient and responsible. If you’re able to live by accountability while you’re still a manager, you won’t have a hard time climbing up the few more steps in the ladder of success.
Images: ”Group of business people with businessman leader on foreground /Shutterstock.com“
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