Accountability is a noun that describes accepting responsibility, liable, or answerable and it can be personal or very public. It starts with you, and it has to apply at all times and to everyone.
Accountability, the ‘A’ of my C.A.R.E Framework…
The term accountable originates from the Latin computare, “to count.” To be accountable required a person to produce “a count” of either the properties or money that had been left in his care.
We are entering into a new Era, it is time to evolve into the next phase of higher consciousness where every single one of us has to become accountable for our environment, our colleagues and our customers.
‘If you want to be successful, you have to take 100% responsibility for everything that you experience in your life.’ Jack Canfield
Accountability is being diligent, congruent, trustworthiness, it has become one of my core value since starting my own business… Being accountable is also showing that you genuinely care, when someone isn’t engaged, inspired or empowered, they don’t really care, why would they take responsibility? Only when you feel that you are an important part of something, does it make you take a stand and keep you accountable.
I used to blame others, yes I admit, especially when I was working into hotels when things went wrong I would say: ‘but it wasn’t me, it was him or her, he was supposed to do that, I asked him to do that…’ but in reality I was their boss and it was my responsibility to make sure they did what was asked.
In reflection, this was my way of protecting myself, so I didn’t get punished or told off by my superior, passing the blame is a fight or fly reaction, so I would fly, scared, projecting my fears ontoh someone else was a defensive coping mechanism, it was reactive and instantaneous.… shame, guilt, blame, frustration all emotions which arises when we are not taking responsibilities. It’s wasn’t me… I can record trying to make some story to our customers as to why something didn’t go how expected and so I would someone else should have been doing that, when at the end of the day, I was the boss and the buck was on me.
Once you can put your hands up and be very transparent and admit what you did was wrong, people start trusting you more. People around you will understand you may be having a bad day, or IT isn’t working or you took the order wrong, they will forgive you as long as you take responsibility, you explain, you show them that you care. If you make up some stories somehow it will come back and bite you and you will look like someone who can’t be trusted.
This was a big lesson when I started my own business, because I had no-one else I could blame but myself. When I understood that before I could truly be accountable to others, I had to be accountable to myself, being honest with the things I could do, and those I couldn’t, made me feel more congruent.
We also have to care for our environment, you don’t have to be a tree-hugger or a global environmentalist to be aware of the impact each one of us has on our planet. But closer to home, our home and work environment has a tremendous effect on our physical and mental wellbeing. Becoming more aware of this reality and starting to be accountable so you can feel good in your home, you can have thriving employees and happy customers.
How do you respond to events happening around you? Can people count on you? Do you take full responsibility for your actions? Do you blame others when things go wrong? Do you suffer from victim mentality?
Being open, transparent, communicating with our customers, employees and taking full responsibility for our actions will get you, in return credibility, respect and ultimately trust. Accountability is intrinsic! You can’t force people to be accountable! True, but you learn from the people around you, if you are accountable you will become a model to follow, why not giving it a go, THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS…
It’s time to take C.A.R.E of yourself and your employees so you can grow, be brilliant and strive.
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Watch out for Claire's book launch on 9th September - The Secret Diary of a Mystery Shopper
About the Trainer:
Claire Boscq-Scott is on a mission to inspire businesses to thrive by bringing more care into what they do, alluring the senses to connect with employees and customers on an emotional level; enhancing business environments, increasing employees’ engagement and customer loyalty, through sensorial experiences.
No 5 Top 30 Global Customer Service Guru and UK Top 10 CX Influencer, Claire is an authority in the Customer Experience Industry, Caring in Business Specialist and Sensory Queen, she brings a more holistic approach to Employee & Customer eXperience.
She is a Keynote Speaker, Consultant & Trainer. She is the author of 2 books, Thrive with the Hive and Thriving by Caring, with its Audible version and its French version Prospérer en étant attentionné.
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