Seeing someone take accountability for their actions, words and choices is refreshing, isn’t it? When someone makes a mistake, takes ownership, apologizes and begins making concerted efforts to either rectify the situation or change behavior, it’s a sign of health—because everyone makes mistakes, but it’s how you handle your failings that makes the difference. And at the end of the day, we can only control ourselves and recognize the impact we have upon others. It’s quite a privilege; and should be used wisely.

So whether you lead an organization, a team or yourself, how you either embrace or reject accountability matters. In this article, we’ll dive into what an accountable leader looks like and how you can own your consequences, both good and bad. Because how you handle your failings is a key component of leadership and a true indicator of growth.

5 Qualities of an Accountable Leader

1. You apologize when you need to apologize. There’s no should here. If you made a choice that warrants an apology, then you must apologize and own the situation. To be overly humble can indicate insecurity, so don’t apologize when it’s not necessary or truly not your fault. But a leader with humble confidence is an honest leader. And to make a mistake is human. So brush off shame and don’t let your ego get in the way. No one wants to follow an egotistical leader who can never be wrong.

2. You don’t expect perfection from yourself or others. An unattainable standard of perfection is exhausting and unhealthy. If you create an organizational culture where mistakes and failures are an expected part of risk and growth, then those you lead will be less likely to hide their mistakes from you. Of course, mistakes have consequences and the scope of some consequences are immense, but some are inconsequential, and frankly should be considered learning opportunities. So don’t miss the chance to learn and grow from a mistake. Expect failure to be a normal part of life and leadership and get used to owning your mistakes.

3. You own your part in relationships. This isn’t isolated to personal relationships because you’re responsible to cultivate health in all relationships—ones with teammates, vendors, clients, neighbors in your office building, anyone you regularly interact with. You have such an enormous privilege to be a part of another person’s life and how you show up to them can either be a positive part of their day or a negative one. So who do you want to be? How do you want to show up? And get real with yourself—is who you say you want to be an accurate picture of who you are? How can you start owning your part in relational health?

4. You protect and strengthen your well-being. Self-awareness is key to accountability. But if you don’t understand how your words and actions affect others, then you won’t notice when you’ve caused offense or harm. And that’s a dangerous way to both live and lead. An accountable leader knows what they need in order to show up as their best self. That can look like getting enough sleep, eating well, choosing healthy inputs or exercising. You know what you need, and self-leadership is ensuring that you set those boundaries to ensure you get those things. But your boundaries can’t be so rigid that you negatively impact others, there’s a degree of flexibility still needed.

5. You receive feedback—and work toward change. If you’re a part of your organization’s Leadership Team, then you are lucky to have a group of people who can act as a sounding board for you as you make choices that impact your company. And if you’re not part of a Leadership Team, then find your sounding board—that could be a mentor, boss, colleague or friend. Find people you trust and allow them to speak truth into your life. And if someone is willing to share a tough piece of feedback with you, then remove your defenses and position yourself to receive it. If this person is someone who cares about you, then they’re telling you for your own growth because they want you to be the best version of yourself.

We’re all accountable to one another. And if we begin to understand our influence and own the consequences that our actions and words bring, then true healing can take place. If you want to grow in your self-leadership and become an accountable leader, then get in touch with us. Our team of executive coaches love working with leaders to help them lead themselves well both at work and at home.