As I was out for a workout this morning, I came upon a bus stop where the children were loading for school. A mother was 
there watching as her older children boarded the bus. After the bus closed its doors and drove off, the mother was left with her younger child. They needed to cross the busy street to go home. The mother held her child’s hand as she looked both ways before walking across the street.
The child really didn’t want to “walk” across the street. So, the child started skipping while her mother was walking. The child was lifting her knees high as she bounded across the road. The young girl was filled with joy as she journeyed home.
So, my question to you is, “Do you know what brings you joy?” And maybe more importantly, “What brings you joy in the service of others?”
The definition of your unique purpose is, “What brings you joy in the service of others.”
When you know what your unique purpose is, what brings you joy in the service of others, then you can align your activities with that purpose. Now you may be wondering, how does purpose connect to accountability? Let’s explore.
How Does Purpose Drive Accountability?
Your mission is “Your purpose in action.” So, if you do not fully understand your purpose, you are not able to discover your mission. Knowing your personal mission is important; and everyone on your team knowing the organization’s mission is critical.
When you know your purpose and your mission, you can align your actions accordingly, and that is where accountability will start to show up. Accountability is keeping your commitments to people. When you are engaged in activities what closely align with your mission, and you fully understand the connection between your activities and your mission, then you are doing what you are supposed to be doing. Commitments that are made that align with what you are supposed to be doing, fulfilling your mission, are going to be much easier to do and do well.
We naturally engage in activities that connect to our mission. We are drawn to those activities and so are the people we lead. It is critical that your team fully understand and connect to the mission of the organization. And it is important that the mission and the tactics you use to complete the mission align completely with your values.
When an organization’s values and mission are being lived daily, accountability is assured. A workplace culture that inspires accountability is created, and your people will work at their fullest potential and enjoy what they are doing. Productivity is always going to be best served by people who are working at their fullest capacity and love what they are doing. And productivity will always connect to the bottom line. Accountability goes to the bottom line.
Knowing your purpose and mission sets you up for building an accountable workplace culture and ultimately sets you and your organization up for success. Purpose is at the very heart of your accountability. And your accountability is what will create a workplace culture that inspires others to choose to be accountable and be their best.
