Building accountability in business is not easy. It needs courage and practice. Many a times your performance at workplace may fall short of your expectations, but instead of admitting it, you may try looking for someone or something else to put the blame on.May be you missed a deadline but cannot admit to the boss as to why you missed it. Or perhaps you overslept and couldn’t make it to work on time and simply cannot confess it. You had a weekend party, stayed up late night and can’t sit through the day at work. In each case you may get away with a pretext, but what really is affected is your productivity and your reputation.
Reputation comes with you being accountable for your work.
Here’s how you can work on taking charge of all your actions:
Don’t break trust
Your boss and peers trust you. They have expectations of your great performance in the workplace. Learn being trustworthy at the first instance. Nothing can be as harsh as breaking someone’s trust.
Be honest
If you are not capable of doing something, let your boss know about. You will receive help that way. Don’t tell a lie that you will do the job and go in hiding or put it to a later date! Honest words will earn you more respect.
Be a good listener
If you miss what you are being told or advised, the chances are you will not understand the responsibility and seriousness of the task to be delivered. Be attentive while conversing and learn to gather accurate information.
Ask questions, share ideas
It should always be a two-way communication in the work place. If you don’t understand the job you have been put on, ask for clarifications. If you have any suggestions, don’t be afraid of communicating the same. Your ideas may be valuable. Communication at workplace obviously matters a great deal.
Don’t be forgetful
It’s good to have a to-do-list. Post it on your desktop, your workstation, your refrigerator, or set reminders. Forgetting a task can put you in the bad books of people!
Don’t be lazy
Never say to yourself that you can finish the task in no time and then put it for the next day. This way you will keep a check on your work not piling up and meet the deadlines successfully. Your performance at workplace reflects in how hard you have worked.
Be practical
When you make a commitment, be fully aware of your competencies, the resources available, the time-lines in your hands. If there is a need, seek help. Create team if need be. But don’t exaggerate and send wrong signals that you will accomplish the goals within time and all by yourself.
Entrepreneurial Learning
Always be aware of the consequences of not meeting the expectations at a workplace. Accountability in business starts from loving your work and following these simple but valuable tips.
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