Accountability
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Accept that making mistakes means you are human and does not diminish your worth or capability.
One department leader stated she was proud of the employee and that the mistake just meant they were human.
- Based on one person's experience with their department leader.
one person who lived it
Treat workers as people with feelings rather than mere units.
Treating people like units results in deserving little or no respect.
one person who lived it
Avoid shifting blame to others when admitting fault.
Passing blame breaks trust and can backfire on you.
2 people, independently
- Admit your mistakes to often lower the consequences.1
Avoid over-explaining, justifying, or excusing your actions after making a mistake.
Offering multiple reasons often looks like dissembling or an excuse, whereas people primarily want to know that you will fix it and not repeat it.
- Tailor your explanation based on who you are talking to.
3 people, independently
- Admit your mistake, apologize, and explain why it will not happen again.1
View an ass-chewing as just an ass-chewing to change how you respond.
One person reported this changed how they respond in these situations.
one person who lived it
Do not attempt to hide a significant mistake; disclose it openly.
Hidden mistakes often cause more damage than open ones, and others will likely discover them eventually.
3 people, independently
When asked about your strengths in an interview, state that you own up to and learn from mistakes rather than claiming perfection.
This approach helped the speaker get the job.
one person who lived it
Figure out the cause of an error and take a lesson from it. Then let it go instead of ruminating.
3 people, independently
Avoid promising a mistake will never happen again; instead, say you will do your best to improve or learn from it.
Promising it won't happen again is often a bar you can't meet and less honest.
one person who lived it
22 more on this
Support teammates who make mistakes instead of throwing them under the bus.
This maintains rock-solid rapport and collective success.
- Context: competitive teams.
one person who lived it
Pre-emptively tell on yourself if you messed up.
One person reported this as the primary reason their boss trusts them with everything and why they hold a seemingly tenured position.
one person who lived it
Be lenient with others' honest mistakes.
One approach is to view it as insurance for when you err; another is to simply forgive without expecting reciprocity.
- Some suggest forgetting the 'insurance' aspect and just forgiving.
2 people, independently
Explain why a mistake occurred to yourself to differentiate it from an excuse.
It is important to make sure it doesn't happen again.
one person who lived it
Build a pattern of honesty to increase trustworthiness.
It makes you less suspect when major failures occur that others do not own.
one person who lived it
Admit mistakes using this four-step formula: state you made an error, present a plan to prevent recurrence, offer a sincere apology, and ask how to make amends.
It shows you are actively taking responsibility and listening to the other party's needs.
one person who lived it
- When admitting errors in professional or personal contexts, acknowledge the mistake and outline specific steps to prevent recurrence.1
Investigate errors from an inquisitive rather than aggressive standpoint to gain team buy-in.
An inquisitive stance secures buy-in from the team.
one person who lived it
Take full responsibility for major errors immediately and make your best effort to clean up the mess.
Admitting it right away can prevent termination; failing to do so may lead to being fired.
one person who lived it
- Immediately admit work mistakes and present a plan to fix them.1
Specify exactly why you are sorry and what you did wrong, rather than offering a generic apology.
People believe you are less likely to repeat that exact offense.
one person who lived it
Ask employees for the full story before holding them accountable for mistakes.
Approaching them this way helps understand context and avoids unfair assumptions.
one person who lived it
Pretend to be calm and collected when angry.
Acting calm can psychologically induce actual calmness, whereas acting angry increases anger.
- Based on one person's experience.
one person who lived it
Admit mistakes directly and succinctly to demonstrate teamwork and identify true allies versus foes in the workplace.
It helps determine friend from foe.
one person who lived it
Remain calm, step back from hostility, and reassure the person that accidents happen.
Shouting cannot change the outcome, harms the relationship, and alienates the other person.
one person who lived it
Empathize with others' mistakes by attributing them to life circumstances rather than character flaws.
Mistakes are more likely attributable to life circumstances than character problems.
one person who lived it
Avoid repeating the same mistake.
Coworkers become exasperated by patterns of errors, even if you own up to them initially.
one person who lived it
Avoid discussing a colleague's mistake in a public setting where everyone can hear.
Doing so is equivalent to reporting it.
one person who lived it
Be honest with those affected by your repeated mistakes and include them in your accountability process.
Including others can provide the activation energy needed for real change.
one person who lived it
Address mistakes immediately instead of letting resentment build until you have enough 'dirt' to confront someone aggressively.
Beating a mistake to death after being told provides no extra information.
one person who lived it
Reply privately to colleagues to correct easily fixable mistakes in group emails.
This earns their gratitude by avoiding public embarrassment and helps build good relationships.
one person who lived it
Admit when you lack knowledge.
Concealing ignorance blocks learning; nobody knows everything.
3 people, independently
Reject 'reverse gender' arguments as deflection tactics when discussing male accountability.
Bringing up the opposite gender is often used to deflect blame, even when the topic was never about them.
one person who lived it
Proofread and professionalize emails before forwarding them to bosses or external parties.
Minor grammatical errors should be fixed when communicating with superiors.
one person who lived it