In corporate environments actions or activities to be performed are generally referred to as ‘responsibilities,’ with accountability being an inseparable part.

property. You will monitor the performance of your share investments and you will insure your assets against possible risks.

Personal ownership is thus demonstrated by showing concern, monitoring, controlling and voluntarily reaction.

Why then do individuals who in their personal lives treat personal ownership so seriously, when wearing the hat as manager or employee, treat their employment accountabilities with such indifference?

The answer is to be found in the way in which employees regard their jobs. Very few people when asked would spontaneously classify their jobs as assets and consequently the vital personal ownership aspect of owning an asset goes missing. Having a job means that the organisation has made an investment in the individual.

An employer considers employment to be an investment and is surely entitled to protect. Managers and employees must therefore just as diligently manage personal ownership of their job responsibilities as they manage their personal assets – with total accountability.

Personal ownership in the context of accountability is thus not a catch phrase or cliché and should not be treated as such. In corporate environments actions or activities to be performed are generally referred to as ‘responsibilities,’ with accountability being an inseparable part of such responsibilities.

Individuals in organisations are then assigned certain personal responsibilities which by default then translate into being assigned personal accountability. Responsibilities, through personal performance, results in ‘outcomes’ or ‘consequences’ tying accountability to such results or consequences as well.

Whether results or consequences are then good or bad means that personal losses or gains will ensue. It is in particular the threat of the personal loss aspect associated with accountability that makes it so unpalatable for those who find themselves having to accept accountability. The common approach to such a threat is to transfer it to someone or something else by instituting the ‘blame game’ and/or adopting a victim attitude It is a fallacy to believe that delegating responsibility implies the delegation of accountability as well. Delegation is associated with the concept of agency.