Leader Accountability
John recently shared a story about when, in a rush to make a meeting, he jumped in line ahead of one of his employees to get his food. The employee teased, “Leaders eat last, John!” — referencing Simon Sinek’s excellent book about leadership. And while the employee likely didn’t give the interaction much afterthought, John did.
Two days later, I said something in a group I instantly regretted. I made a quick comment about someone’s obliviousness to their own actions. It likely went unnoticed by those around me who were equally frustrated, but to me it was a big deal. It was inconsistent with who I strive to be. It wasn’t something a leader would do.
I remember thinking later, “I’m better than this.” But the truth is, this is who I am. I make mistakes. And I know John was kicking himself too, as innocent as his act may have been.
As leaders, the eyes are always on us to set the example for what’s right and what isn’t. And the reality is, when we do falter, it rarely goes unnoticed.
I’ve learned that if I find my foot in my mouth, it likely got there because of my pride.
A true leader is humble. They approach situations with love and empathy. When my own boastful feelings get in the way, I cannot serve others because I’m too busy serving myself. Similarly, if I’m too absorbed in what I have going on, I overlook the needs of others.
As people focused on culture, we can work tirelessly to keep our behavior, actions and attitudes in check, but we will make mistakes. The good news is, these mistakes are opportunities to teach those around us about two very important things: accountability and grace.
Leadership and accountability often go hand in hand. But what sets a leader apart is not the willingness to hold others accountable but their diligence to hold themselves accountable.
This means not only taking responsibility for our mistakes but also taking action to “make it right.” Sometimes, this simply means asking for forgiveness. However, if you find yourself apologizing for the same thing over and over, it may be time for some introspection. Look at what’s causing the situation and identify ways you can prevent it from happening again. Set your shame aside and ask for an outsider’s perspective. Nobody’s perfect.
Which leads us to grace.
Once you’ve taken action to correct your mistake, stop beating yourself up. Yes, our employees are watching, but we don’t expect them to be perfect all of the time, and they don’t expect that of us either.
So we need to teach them how to move past our mistakes, too. By admitting our faults and asking forgiveness we give our employees permission to come forward with their mistakes, as well.
The costliest issues for a company can come from employees who know they’ve screwed up but are too afraid to admit it.
By showing those around us we’re human and deserving of grace, we empower employees to take accountability. We give them the space to trust they will still be a valued member of the team, regardless of their imperfections.
After all, isn’t that the kind workplace culture we all want?
For more on leader accountability, watch Fabric Community Call #3:
