See It, Own It, Solve It, Do It

Today you presented a report on a key strategic initiative. Your report was well researched, well supported by the facts and well argued. The team seemed to like it. You've done a good job - you've delivered - but have you been accountable?

Accountability is more than having an idea, writing a report, sharing research or providing metrics. A recent article in Talent Management, Think Positive: Transforming Accountability, defined accountability this way: "see it, own it, solve it, do it." In writing your report, sharing your findings and making recommendations, you may have seen the challenge and even figured out a way to "solve it." But it's in the owning and the doing that real accountability lies. Your idea is only as good as your success in implementing it.

Owning and doing, as well as seeing and solving, are the backbones of a true workplace culture of accountability. Building a culture based on these cornerstones inspires innovation, experimentation and risk taking. It encourages employees to find more meaning in their work and to contribute at a higher level - with an impact on organizational performance that can only be positive. If you want your organization to be a market leader, you could do worse than taking on the seeing, owning, solving and doing accountability challenge.