The Key Factor to Superior Performance – Personal Accountability
Personal accountability is not only an important skill to possess, but it is also in high demand. In 95% of the jobs we studied, we found personal accountability to be one of the top seven personal skills that are required for superior performance on the job. Most companies would agree that responsibility for actions is a major component to success on the job and will look for this skill in any employee review or selection situation.
Unfortunately, personal accountability can be difficult to gauge and is often times not genuine until you can scratch through the surface. If personal accountability is so important to success on the job, yet difficult to find, how can we look for this skill in today’s talent?
To help you identify the skill of personal accountability, consider using the following interview questions in your selection process or employee evaluation.
What person from history do you most admire for taking the blame for a failure?
What did taking the blame do for that person?
Give me an example of someone you know whose personal actions led to disastrous results.How answerable was that person for what happened?
What advice would you give to that person?
What is the worst business decision you ever made?What made it the worst?
What would have helped you to avoid making that decision?
While questions like this might help you take a guess at the level of personal accountability an individual has, it is best to get a truly accurate picture of the skills they have through an individual assessment process. This will eliminate all bias and give you statistical results that will easily help you take the next step in talent management. Soft skills assessments and 360 degree surveys are commonly used in business practices today to accurately assess personal accountability and the many other skills that make each person unique.
An in-depth understanding of the personal soft skills an employee brings to the job is an important aspect in any selection, development and coaching initiative.
With assessments that mathematically measure the personal skills an individual has and is capable of accomplishing, you can dig deeper than the typical resume and interview process and truly discover the potential for superior performance.
We have developed assessment tools that measure personal skills including accountability:
TTI Personal Talent Skills Inventory™
Source: © 2008 People Energizing People Newsletter | TTI DISC
Employee Suggestion Campaigns
Getting your employees’ ideas should not be an option. If your organization is going to be competitive, it is mandatory you involve the minds, hands, and ideas of everyone in your organization. Getting employees involved not only yields valuable ideas and suggestions, but also the increased morale of workers who feel like they are being listened to results in a more productive and satisfying work environment.
Peter E. Drucker said, “One has to assume, first, that the individual human being at work knows better than anyone else what makes him or her more productive…even in routine work the only true expert is the person who does the job.”
Stats and Surveys
Work Hours
According to the Working Time Around the World report, 614.2 million workers, or approximately 22 percent of the global workforce, work more than 48 hours a week.
International Labour Organization ~ Geneva
Yuk!
Asked to choose which is more disgusting, the office fridge or a public restroom, 28 percent of the 501 American office workers surveyed selected the fridge, compared to 72 percent who chose the restroom.
Source: Kelton Research, Culver City, Calif.
Involuntary Separation
According to a multi-response survey of 1,308 U.S. adults, the top five reasons people changed jobs, either voluntarily or involuntarily, are:
Downsizing or restructuring – 54%
Seeking new challenges – 30%
Dissatisfaction with leadership effectiveness – 25%
Poor relationship with manager – 22%
To improve work/life balance – 21%
Source: Right Management, Philadelphia
