If a business failure occurs, it’s common for people to point fingers at one another. So, it becomes crucial to figure out who is at fault. It will help to resolve the issues. Moreover, it will prevent them from happening again. Understanding the concept of accountable vs. responsible in raci is crucial. It can help to keep things on course. But what’s the difference?
People often use “accountability” and “responsibility” in the same context. But both terms have different meanings. Such meanings create a barrier between them in the workplace. Therefore, leaders should be able to distinguish between accountable vs. responsible behavior. It will help with the growth of their companies.
In this article, we’ll discuss the topic of accountable vs. responsible in detail. So your company can better handle unexpected events.
What is Responsibility?
Responsibility means taking charge of a task. It is one’s ability to cope with specific events happening around. Moreover, it can be divided up among the members of a group. Many people can take one task and work together to complete it.
Alternatively, different activities can be assigned to different members. So all of them will work to contribute to achieving a single outcome. Additionally, responsibility is frequently linked with failure, guilt, or blame. It might be one reason why people don’t like to take responsibility. However, it’s a personal, subjective, and careful choice in reality.
What is Accountability?
Accountability is knowing and accepting what our responsibilities are. It means owning up to one’s own decisions and actions and living with the results. Accountability is what takes place after something has happened. It’s how you react and accept responsibility for end result. Furthermore, true leaders are accountable for results even in uncertain situations.
Many factors lead to a debate on accountable vs. responsible behavior. One of them is that accountability can be unique to different individuals. It depends on their abilities, position, or strengths. Therefore, it should be entitled to only one person. So there isn’t any confusion or overlap with other things. Moreover, accountability could help build trust at work. It can improve the relations between employees and their leaders.
Accountable Vs. Responsible:
Accountable Vs. responsible is a topic of debate for many reasons. People usually think that both terms are the same. However, they both play a part in the workplace in different ways. One can be responsible for something without being accountable for the results. In the same way, a person can take accountability for a responsibility.
Let’s have a look at some differentiating factors in accountable vs. responsible:
- Its Primary Focus: Responsibility is centered on the completion of specific tasks. It concerns a person’s contribution to fulfilling a specific goal. Accountability focuses on results. It shows how someone handles or owns the outcomes of their work.
- How it is Achieved: Accountability is an act of courage on the part of the individual. But responsibility is not. A person can either accept or take on responsibility for something. So, having a proper idea about the accountable vs. responsible concept is necessary here.
- When it Happens: When it comes to accountability and responsibility, timing is everything. Accountability only comes after the completion of a task. However, responsibility can come before or after the completion of the task. For this reason, responsibility is generally ongoing. On the other hand, accountability relates to some specific events.
- Who Has it: Responsibility can be divided among several team members. However, accountability is largely about individual decisions. This means that there can be no shared accountability. And only one individual is accountable for a specific task.
Accountable Vs. Responsible in RACI:
Project managers can lead a lot of people at one time. So, it can be hard to track how responsible or accountable each person is. In this scenario, the RACI chart can be quite helpful. It enables project managers to define and identify individual project roles.
RACI stands for:
Responsible: Individuals who are assigned specific tasks to perform.
Accountable: The individual who has to approve the task.
Consulted: Experienced or skilled people who can offer credibility to the project.
Informed: People who need to be aware of the progress even if they’re not doing anything.
Tips for Managers to Foster Accountable Vs. Responsible:
Leaders of a business are ultimately accountable for what transpires. However, all the team members have a significant role in reaching the targets. Here are some factors to promote the concept of accountable Vs. responsible behavior:
Accountability Starts with You:
Do the things you’d like to see others doing around the office. This will set a good example. Leaders are responsible for the actions of the team members. Why should your employees follow your lead if you don’t follow your own?
Establish Trust:
You will see an atmosphere of criticism when there isn’t much trust. People hide facts that they believe can harm them. So, leaders should listen to people’s thoughts, ideas, and concerns. It will help to build trust among them.
Encourage Cultural Compatibility:
Be consistent in your behavior. Show them how things are done around here. It requires managerial support, clear objectives, teamwork rules, and ethics.
Adopt Objective Criteria:
Define clear criteria for assessing team members. Goals should b realistic and factual. They should be free from the influence of political beliefs or power battles.
Provide Regular Feedback:
Provide an environment where people can talk openly about how to perform better. Also, talk about challenging subjects without pointing the finger at anyone. Leaders should try to guide the members through proper feedback.
Engage Staff Members:
Take necessary actions to boost the morale of employees. You can organize healthy discussions, worker councils, and town hall sessions.
Support Your Employees:
Bring everyone together and check in on their progress. You will be able to recognize the issues of team members. In this way, you can help and support them. Moreover, it creates gratitude in the employees.
Make no Demands on People’s Behaviour:
People can accept their mistakes with proper guidance. Do not make them feel bad for their failures. But, try to make them aware of their actions’ consequences politely. Therefore leaders must be aware of the concept of accountable Vs. responsible behavior. It will help them to guide the workers properly.
Which Comes First in Accountable Vs. Responsible?
Concept of accountable Vs. responsible behavior is important in every aspect of life. It’s essential for self-awareness. It affects our actions and decisions. In a business setup, responsibility can be shared, but accountability cannot. But what comes first depends on your position in the company. The responsibility of management rests with their staff. The ability of a leader to understand the difference between accountable Vs. responsible behavior is crucial for economic success.