If you aren’t moving your business forward, ask yourself this one question…
Does everyone know what they are accountable for in their role in our organization?
Often, the reason there are issues in the organization with productivity is there is no real accountability. The team is confused about who is responsible for what. Goals aren’t being accomplished. And the leadership or business owner becomes frustrated.
Sound familiar?
Most businesses use an organizational chart (org chart for short) which shows the reporting relationship in the organization. It shows the hierarchy of staff and gives everyone a “place” in the organization.
An accountability chart goes a step further. It asks the question “Who is accountable for what?” within the organization. An accountability chart shows each seat in the company and lists the functions and roles.
Why Use an Accountability Chart?
It makes sure there is clarity for who is responsible for what job functions in the organization. It also quickly shows who isn’t responsible for certain tasks and why those tasks are not being completed. Think about all of the tasks that fall through the cracks. With an accountability chart, you define the responsibility of each seat/role in the organization and then find the right person to fill it.
When filling that seat, you ask your leadership team these 3 questions:
- Does the person have the get it factor?
- Do they want it?
- Do they have the capacity to do the job?
If the answer is no to any more than one of those, the person probably is in the wrong position. If it’s yes to all three, then you should have a good fit.
Once you have each seat filled using the above framework, only one person continues to be responsible for that specific role and job function for clarity.
If more than one person is responsible, then no one is and important tasks will continue to fall through the cracks. If one person is responsible and tasks aren’t being completed, then you can go back to that person to discuss why it isn’t being completed.
Have you heard the term accountability chart before? If you desire to create more clarity in your organization around responsibilities, then creating an accountability chart is most likely a necessary step.
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Stephanie German is a business strategist, adjunct professor, and speaker. She holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership and loves giving back to her community in a variety of ways. When she’s not coaching clients or writing about leadership, Stephanie is usually headed to the mountains or the beach with her family, drinking savory wine, or working on the latest project with her husband. Stephanie’s greatest desires are to raise up the next generation of leaders while raising her own children to be strong, independent, and brave. She lives in Fresno, California with her husband Blake and her three spunky daughters, Cara, Kinsey, and Peyton. She is the best-selling author of So Your Boss Can’t Lead?