Why Is Accountability Important In The Army

Accountability and the Leader Every soldier likely knows or has an abstract idea of just how crucial accountability is to the Leader and each organization, no matter the size. It is vital that as NCO’s we understand that relationship and use it to our advantage during our tenure as Leaders. Accountability is invaluable when done right, and reckless when done poorly, but it takes a good leader to strike the balance required to make sure it is executed well. The Concept Many in the Army grow tired of hearing accountability used regarding leadership. According to the American Psychological Association, Accountability is defined as “the extent to which an individual is answerable to another (e.g., a supervisor, official review body, a group of peers) for their behavior, decisions, or judgments.”
While being a leader in general does not always mean you maintain good accountability, someone who does not maintain good accountability has no place in a position of leadership.

Accountability Failure’s Every Soldier will undoubtedly come across a Leader who does not understand how to maintain accountability and refrain from micromanaging, throughout their career. Learning lessons from failure, especially regarding leadership concepts, is as valuable, if not more, than lessons learned from success. There is a balance to these concepts, like anything in life. You must know, for instance, where your soldiers are and what they are doing. If you micromanage your soldiers, you run the risk of squandering their purpose, ambition, and trust in you as a leader (Tripodi & Deloeon, 2022). In my own experience, I have seen the detrimental effects of micromanagement on a unit's morale and effectiveness. Soldiers become demotivated, feel undervalued, and lose confidence in their abilities when they are constantly over-examined and