From the course: Holding Yourself Accountable

Accountability is a mark of leadership

From the course: Holding Yourself Accountable

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Accountability is a mark of leadership

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- When you're responsible for something, it's your job to do it. You're responsible for writing that report, or managing that client relationship, or turning in your receipts within 15 days. But accountability, that's something different. It's not what you have to do, it's a state of mind, the difference between managing yourself and having someone look over your shoulder to keep you on task. It's taking ownership. When we think back on President Harry Truman, one of the first images that comes to mind was a sign on his desk, the buck stops here. That's the motto of accountability. And because so few people adopt that philosophy, it's a mark of leadership that sets you apart. I'm Dorie Clark, I teach for Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, and I'm the author of "Entrepreneurial You" and "Stand Out". Every business these days wants employees who think entrepreneurially. That means not waiting to be told what to do or who have to be henpecked in order to get things done. Instead, it's about setting your own course and realizing, whatever your title, that you're the captain of your domain. You don't just take responsibility, you own it, and you make it happen. That's holding yourself accountable and that's why you'll succeed. Let's learn more about how to do it.

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