education By Shannon Studden The Truth About Accountability Shannon Studden, MA, is an instructional designer with University of Minnesota Duluth Continuing Education. U Training is not the answer when the issue is in the work environment itself. 56 Duluthian september.october 2015 MD Continuing Education is often asked by local employers to cre- ate customized learning and development programs on topics such as communication, conflict resolution, performance management and business acumen. When employees develop their skills and knowledge in these areas, both they and the organization see the benefits through improved working relationships, better decisions, higher pro- ductivity, increased engagement and other tangible outcomes. Occasionally, we receive a request for “accountability” training. The assump- tion underlying this request is that employees will do what’s expected of them if only we can give them a better understanding of what accountability should mean to them. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. When someone isn’t performing to expec- tations, there can be many contributing factors – and a course on accountability won’t fix any of them. A thorough needs assessment is the key to identifying the root causes of the issue. The first question we ask in a needs assessment is, “What are you seeing or hearing that indicates a lack of accountability?” We consistently receive at least one of these answers: 1. My employees aren’t doing what they’re supposed to. 2. Managers here aren’t disciplining people who need it. 3. When I ask someone to do something for me, they don’t follow through.