Showing Accountability As A Leader

The secret to better hiring and selling? Embracing our blunders. I recently screwed up. You know that pit in your stomach when you realize you made a mistake. That was me 🙋🏻♀️ While my intentions were good, I moved too quickly, took action, and immediately knew something was "off." So what did I do? ... I asked myself why it happened ... I wrote down 2 things I'd do differently next time to avoid the same mistake ... I didn't wait to get busted ... I ate a big 'ol piece of humble 🥧 and proactively owned it ... I reached out (with sweaty palms and a nervous stomach) ... I didn't make excuses and apologized for what I did ... I asked for a conversation ... I thought of solutions to come to the conversation with ... I checked my ego ... I didn't get defensive And... We moved on better for it with a solution that works for both of us. Sure, it would've been easier to ignore it, hoping it wouldn't be a big deal. However, this would have caused a crack in our foundation over time. It wasn't worth it to ignore. But most importantly, it wasn't the right thing to do. Accountability + Real conversation + Giving each other the benefit of the doubt ____________________________________ Progress If we want our teams to be accountable, we must show them how. But why are we so afraid of mistakes? 1. We fear negative consequences like losing face, damaging relationships, or facing disciplinary action. 2. We don't feel accountable. 3. We believe that admitting a mistake will not lead to a solution. Thinking, "What's the point anyway?" The next time you or someone else makes a mistake: ditch the ego, assumptions, blame, and shame. As leaders or aspiring leaders, we set the stage. Every action, decision, and word spoken encourages or discourages those around us. Encourage a culture where admitting mistakes is seen as a step toward improvement, not punishment. Workshop the lessons learned, why they happened, and the measures to avoid repeating them. Your world will be better off for it. We all make mistakes. It's what we do in those moments that shapes what happens next. Accountability isn’t about blame—it's about better outcomes. Avenue Talent Partners | High-precision executive search for startups #startups #leadership #BuildWithATP

Accountability is a sign you care about your team members. When I was a first time manager, I felt unsure how to balance maintaining high standards for projects and giving feedback to team members about meeting expectations. The truth is: I wanted to be liked. So I stepped in to fix things instead of giving feedback—solving problems, rewriting final briefings, and rescuing them from deadlines (though I added more of them for myself). It took time to reframe what I now hold true: Accountability isn’t the opposite of compassion. It *is* compassion. Now in coaching and advising higher ed advancement leaders, I hear similar worries: What if they don’t like me? What if I push too hard? What if they’re already overwhelmed? I remind leaders these are valid concerns and also signs you care. Here’s what it looks like to lead with both clarity and compassion: ✅ Set clear expectations ✅ Provide the tools and resources your team needs to succeed ✅ Coach them through growth and challenge ✅ Believe in their abilities ✅ Give clear, specific, actionable feedback—because you care enough to help your team grow Leaders who hold their teams accountable build trust, culture, capacity—and stronger organizations. In university advancement, where the work is deeply human, we need leaders who do both: care deeply and lead boldly. If you’re navigating this balance right now with your team—or your managers are—let’s connect on how we can support you.

💡 “A moral being is an accountable being.” — Adam Smith Accountability isn’t just about tasks completed. It’s about recognizing the ripple effect our decisions have on others. I recently coached a senior leader navigating a complex reorg. When a key initiative stalled, her instinct was to point to shifting priorities and resource constraints. Instead, she chose to take ownership, acknowledging her role in misaligned communication and resetting expectations with her team. The shift was immediate:
 ✅ Her team felt seen and supported.
 ✅ Cross-functional partners regained trust.
 ✅ The project regained momentum because accountability modeled from the top became contagious. In leadership, credibility doesn’t come from being perfect. It comes from owning your actions, your decisions, and their impact on others. As a leadership coach, educator, and L&D strategist, I help executives and teams harness friction as a force for innovation, resilience, and connection, especially in an AI-driven, high-change world. 👉 Please share in the comments, how do you practice accountability when the pressure is on? #Leadership #Accountability #FutureOfWork #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #HighPerformanceTeams #OrganizationalCulture #Coach #Advisor #JennyFernandez #Thinkers50 #MG100

Great leaders take responsibility when there is blame and stay in the background when there is praise. I've worked with leaders at Harvard and Amazon who embodied this principle, and they transformed entire teams with this simple practice. True leadership isn't about taking credit—it's about taking responsibility. Here's why exceptional leaders embrace accountability: 1/ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗨𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁. ↳ By absorbing blame, they create psychological safety. ↳ Team members feel protected, not exposed. 2/ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀. ↳ Sharing credit empowers team members to step up. ↳ They create visibility opportunities for their people. 3/ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲. ↳ They say "I made a mistake" not "the team failed". ↳ They use "we succeeded" not "I succeeded". 4/ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀. ↳ Their confidence doesn't depend on public recognition. ↳ They know their value beyond external validation. 5/ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. ↳ Their example sets the standard for everyone. ↳ The entire team learns to focus on solutions, not blame. Remember: How leaders handle failure and success reveals their true character. Anyone can look good during victories. But great leaders shine brightest when things go wrong. 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁? 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂?