Building Result-Based Accountability in an Organization

Abstract

The suggested approach can serve as a guide for building accountability, which promotes successful attainment of a desired organizational goal. The approach provides for the involvement of the largest possible number of employees working toward a result. First, a result structure for attaining an organizational goal is formed through the establishment of interrelation between corresponding tasks, determined by detailed elaboration of the sequential actions. Next, an accountability structure combining accountability levels, structural measures of accountability for the results of performing tasks, and skills relevant to each task is created. Third, the accountability structure and the reward conditions for acceptance of accountability for task performance are declared in an organization. Fourth, the tasks to be performed by employees are chosen, for which employees are to be held accountable as task performers or as task collaborators. The choice is realized by examination of the accountability structure and self-assessment of employee skills. Accountability acceptance is adjusted by the limitations. Fifth, the individual choices of employees are coordinated through discussion among employees with the participation of managers. As a result, heterogeneous collaborative teams to perform the tasks are formed through all levels organizational structure. Finally, building result-based accountability in an organization is completed through the flexible rewarding of employees for accountability acceptance. The reward is divided according to principle: The bigger the measure of accepted accountability is, the greater the reward the employees receive. The flexibility of reward correlates to adjustment of the size of the reward with regard to the roles of employees in task performance and the accountability measure of the employees.