Everyone Needs to Be Accountable by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

When you make a promise do you keep it? Can your employer, your family, and your friends depend on you?

What does accountability mean? Webster’s Dictionary of 1828 says, “Accountability is the state of being liable to answer for one’s conduct; to receive reward or punishment for actions.” Accountability means you can be counted on. You are dependable, honest, trustworthy, and you won’t let your company, your family, your friends, your teachers, or your mentors down. You can be relied on!

President Harry Truman had a sign on his desk at the White House that said, “The buck stops here.” As a leader, President Truman accepted responsibility for his actions.

In his farewell address to the American people, President Truman said, “The President-whoever he is- has to decide. He can’t pass the buck to anybody. No one else can do the deciding for him. That’s his job.”

President Truman was saying a leader, a President, must take responsibility for his or her actions and be accountable for them. A leader does not pass the blame on to someone else.

Do you want your employees to work as a team and be responsible and accountable for their areas of expertise? Of course you do!

Recently my colleagues and I attended an Educational Conference, which each of us paid a considerable amount of money to attend. The Educational Conference included meals. Ten of us went into the dinning room to find there was no place for us to sit and eat our meal. We went to speak to the head of the Conference in charge of food service and the hotel dining room staff to have them put up another table. No one wanted to step up and be accountable for this problem. For over 30 minutes we waited while everyone else was eating their dinner. The Conference head in charge of dinning did not take responsibility to solve the problem quickly. Finally, after waiting 40 minutes the hotel staff put up another table with a tablecloth, napkins, silverware, and glasses. After this experience several of us said, “Never again would we attend this Conference.”

Would you like to attend a Conference where no one was accountable for his or her actions? Of course not! You want to surround yourself with people who are accountable like President Harry Truman.

In a fancy New York City restaurant in a well-known hotel off of Park Avenue, my Mom ordered a cup of coffee during the buffet meal. The waiter brought half a cup. When she asked for more coffee the waiter never served it. When the bill arrived Mom paid the bill leaving a small tip. The server came over demanding a larger tip. Mom said, “If you are not satisfied with the tip give it back. Tips are for excellent service. Your service was not.”

Each person should be accountable for his or her actions and needs to be taught by their employers, family members, and friends the significance of being accountability and responsible for their actions.

What are the 3 things you need to remember about accountability?

1) To be counted on you must be dependable, honest, and trustworthy, and reliable. You won’t let them down! When you make a promise you keep it! Mark Twain said, “Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”
2) Teach accountability to your employees, your family members, your students, and to those around you.

3) Darren LaCroix, World Champion of Public Speaking says, “It’s not about you.” Help others and always do the right thing by being accountable and responsible so people can rely and depend on you.

When you say you are going to do something, follow through, and do it by the due date you promised. Jeffrey Gitomer, best selling author and top sales trainer says, “Your word is your bond.” Start today to be a leader that is accountable and responsible for your actions. Remember a sign of maturity is accountability!


Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, motivational teacher, researcher, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your businesses successful. She writes a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly Article & Musical Tips" and a monthly radio show "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio Show". She has just published her new book "Leadership On A Shoestring Budget".

Contact Madeline Frank for your next speaking engagement at mfrankviola@gmail.com