10 Ways to Make Yourself Accountable, Part 1- January 27, 2016

Sometimes in organizations it’s not uncommon to find a power struggle going on. Maybe the directors in one department don’t think the directors in another department are holding their teammates accountable for their commitments, actions or decisions. This issue can prompt many discussions around what it means to be accountable in an organization.

Simply put, accountability is an expectation of actions. Today and tomorrow, Promotional Consultant Today shares 10 easy ways manage your own accountability.

1. Create a personal mission statement. Often, we get so caught up in the mundane details of daily life that we often lose track of why we’re here, what we want and, most importantly, what we value. Manage yourself by finding a way to integrate your values into what you do. Write your own personal mission statement. It does not have to be profound or poetic— it just needs to convey your core values and define why you do what you do each day. (Hint: If you can’t find a mission statement that fits your current career or life, maybe it is time for a change.)

2. Set micro-goals. There are countless benefits to writing down goals of all sizes. Annual, five-, and 10-year goals can help you expand on your mission statement because you know you are working towards a tangible result. But long-term goals are useless unless you have a strategy to achieve them. Manage yourself by setting micro-goals— single action steps that, when accomplished, serve as building blocks to a much larger goal.

3. Use lists wisely. Lists, from simple to-do lists to complex project plans, can be a helpful tool for prioritizing and planning your day. If lists are too big or poorly organized, they can overwhelm you and defeat their purpose. Manage yourself by using lists effectively. Keep a small to-do list of five or fewer items. If it’s not important enough to be on the top five, leave it off.

4. Make yourself accountable. If you are a sales rep, managers want to know how many calls you make and how much business you close. If you are a consultant, managers want to know how many hours you bill. Manage yourself by making yourself accountable for how you spend your time. Some of the most successful people I know review their to-do lists each night and every Friday. They study what they accomplished— and what they did not. Even outside of work, you can do the same. Schedule a time each week to reflect. How were your eating habits this week? Did you exercise? What about your spending? Did you stick to your budget or did you splurge? What can you do better next week?

5. Reward yourself. Great managers know that rewarding employees for a job well done is far more effective than doling out penalties for failure. Rewards range from simple praise to promotions to cash bonuses, but they all achieve the same goal: Rewards make us work harder to get something we want.

Here’s another way to be accountable. Read the next issue of PCT.

Source: David Weliver is a nationally cited authority on Millennials and money. His website, Money Under 30, provides approachable, nonjudgmental financial advice to more than 500,000 young professionals every month.