Gain Accountability by Passing the Buck

By Michelle Malay Carter on September 26, 2007 

If I were to ask you who is accountable for your output at work, what your answer be? “Me,” of course.

Good news! If organizations want to institutionalize accountability – employees can’t be the ones accountable for their output. So, pass the buck right on to your manager, s/he’s the one who has to own it.

Why, you ask?

Pass the Buck

-Who hired you for your role?
-Who gives you your assignments?
-Who provides your resources?
-Who assesses your performance?

The answer should be your manager, if it’s not, therein lies another issue. You can’t hold managers accountable without giving them certain authorities, but that’s for another post.

What, then, are you, Joe employee, accountable for?

-Bringing your full effort to bear on your assignments
-Giving your manager your best advice
-Staying within policy
What more can an employee do?

So as many decry the lack of accountability within organizations, I suggest:

Accountability is not MISSING but rather it’s MISPLACED.

I’m OK. You’re OK. Let’s fix the system.

Filed Under Accountability, Requisite Organization

Comments

7 Responses to “Gain Accountability by Passing the Buck”

  1. Where Jack Welch Got It Wrong - The Mandatory, Annual Low Performer Cut | Mission Minded Management on February 12th, 2008 12:30 am

    […] All factors that influence employee performance are within the employee’s control.? (False) […]

  2. Rhett Bernheim on May 30th, 2011 6:30 am

    There are many people who are experts at passing the buck. There usually is a ‘fall guy’. It is sad when these things happen.

    So, to make matters simple, what you said is correct – If organizations want to institutionalize accountability – employees can’t be the ones accountable for their output. There are many times things should be sorted out in a better way by not putting the blame but fixing the problem.

    Thanks for your insights.

  3. John on July 18th, 2011 5:54 am

    Rhett and Michelle I agree with both of your sentiments..

    I particularly relate to the following:

    “The answer should be your manager, if it’s not, therein lies another issue. You can’t hold managers accountable without giving them certain authorities,”

    I have 10 years management experience and have been in roles where I have not had authority to act – yet I was held accountable – it just simply does not work..

  4. Michael on August 12th, 2011 2:54 am

    There’s a famous statistic that 80% of employees leave their job because of their manager. The manager gets a lot of the blame and poor management style (and skill) is the scourge of many organisations.

  5. James on August 29th, 2011 10:22 am

    I think the onus is on the employee more so than management. Take two employees who both want to get ahead and one does and one does not. One has an excuses that there is poor management and the other is a hard worker. You can’t blame a poor business management system. Just my opinion.

  6. Luke on August 30th, 2011 10:04 am

    John, it really does not work does it. And James I agree with you also.

    I have been in positions of power and I and I am working quite hard to increase my position within my company and I see this all the time. The blame game is played on the management when it is really the lack of commitment of the employee to do the right thing.

  7. Dave on August 31st, 2011 5:43 pm

    Michael – it may be that 80% leave becuase of the managers, but many of the managers end up in the position purley from having spent enough time at the company, or they know the right people lol.

    However this does not make them good managers! I think managing people is one of the most unde valued skills of all and yet an integrall part of any company.

    Dave