Leadership that Cultivates Accountability

By Ray Mwando – June 2022

One by an employee is “i’m just doing my job”. Firstly, “just” implies a of my most dreaded  comments certain ceiling of mediocrity. Secondly, it can indicate a lack of professional investment in the organisation and its role. What if this person was fully invested, and confident of the positive impact that she is having on the organisation, its clients, her colleagues, and the wider community? That does not suggest that sometimes we are not faced with difficult situations. Rather than defending ourselves behind a role or job description, what if we helped our colleagues develop the trust in themselves and authentic reflective practices that lead to improved decision making?

What leaders need to do at all levels to support a progressive mindset and skills development –

• Leaders need to surround themselves with experts in areas where they themselves lack expertise. it is important to let these colleagues know that we rely on them to guide critical decision-making.
• When we hire entry-level employees, leaders need to explicitly invite these colleagues to provide feedback, particularly with their “fresh eyes”.
• Leaders should implement intentional feedback processes that are frequent, informal, and specific, where feedback flows both ways.
• Leaders need to constantly demonstrate a commitment to the organisation’s identity and mission.
• Leaders can design retreats for both team-building and goal-setting, fostering a fertile environment for taking initiative.
• Leaders should provide intentional opportunities for authentic and practical leadership.

Expanding on the last point, organisations sometimes miss out on benefitting from the expertise in all areas. it is one thing to be able to cognitively and theoretically study leadership, but quite another to take on even a short-term leadership role. From a neuroscientific perspective, this practical experience can reveal unintended or intended narratives about ourselves and about perceptions — ours and the perceptions of others. it can be uncomfortable, and extremely rewarding.

With this imperative for leaders to provide these opportunities, it highlights the implied consequence that the value of ideas and creativity of these evolving leaders must not be affected by the seniority or ego of the CEO or other senior leader. A very practical example at Harare international School is related to our newly developed Strategic Priorities. it might seem natural to leave the realisation of these priorities in the hands of the Board, the director, or the senior leadership team.

But by putting the innovative implementation in the hands of a team of colleagues who interact with broader and more diverse constituent members, we increase the chances of magical serendipity of recognising and acting up ideas that might otherwise have been missed.

By empowering this dynamic team to realise these goals without overly constraining the “how”, creativity is valued. And as a result, we never need to hear: “i’m just doing my job.” instead, every member of the organisation feels that emotional tug that reflects an organisation that is more than the sum of its parts.