Being Accountable for Accountability

Source: Public Practice

Accountability is one of the top issues for CPA firms today but, according to consultant Bill Reeb, few firms do it well. One of the obstacles to implementing accountability is the inaccuracy of our perceptions. “We give ourselves credit for everything we think, say, and do,” Reeb explains, but “We only give others credit for what we see them do.” For accountability to work, it can't depend on casual perception alone. The key is to unambiguously define your expectations of others up front.

People must embrace accountability before work begins. It's easy to accept accountability for a successful project after the fact, but true accountability means taking ownership of the results, good or bad, and learning from the experience.

Finally, accountability doesn't mean shifting ownership of the work to someone else and then walking away. It requires management oversight to monitor a project's progress and make sure it stays on track.

For the complete article, read “Accountability for Performance Management (Column 1).”

From Public Practice, Texas Society of CPAs, December 2011, www.tscpa.org.