Does Accountability Means Blame?

Some may consider an accountability-based environment is an environment of accusation & blame and “holding people’s feet in the fire” which leads to low performance while a responsibility-based environment is a more empowering environment, and this leads to high performance and happier employees. This is based on the belief that accountability is not shared while responsibility is. So, if there are many employees who are responsible of performing a task (or set of tasks), only one employee (or a leader) is accountable for the results of this task (or set of tasks) and its consequences.

Let’s define blame. To blame is to find fault with, to censure, revile, reproach and this is not accountability at all. Accountability emphasizes keeping agreements and performing jobs in a respectful atmosphere; blaming is an emotional process that discredits the blamed.

Accountability therefore creates conditions for ongoing, constructive conversations in which our awareness of current reality is sharpened and in which we work to seek root causes, and identify new actions and agreements. The qualities of accountability are respect, trust, inquiry, moderation, curiosity, and mutuality.

Blame encourages “Inaction.” When someone is blamed it is considered a form of punishment. It shames the accused. When people are blamed they move into “safety” as they want to avoid the blame. Thus they start adopting “wait until told” which leads to employees stopping to take initiative.

In addition, Blame encourages “Ignorance” as well. Those who are blamed, do not stop making mistakes, instead, they become better at hiding them from fear of being shamed.*

*Personal Accountability ,Your path to a rewarding work life, Stephen C.Lundin, Phd, James K. Arnold

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