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What is the relevance of accountability in leadership and public management?

Shepherd Rugge

Accountability is incredibly important when it comes to leadership and public management. In essence, accountability is all about being able to answer for your actions and decisions. This might not seem like a big deal, but when it comes to leading a team or managing public funds, the stakes are incredibly high.

To understand why accountability matters, it's important to recognize that leadership and public management involve a great deal of power and influence. Leaders are responsible for making decisions that can impact the lives of many people, and public managers have the authority to allocate funds and resources in ways that can either benefit or harm society.

Without accountability, these individuals could potentially abuse their power or make decisions based on self-interest rather than what is best for the people they serve. By being accountable, leaders and public managers can be held to a higher standard and are more likely to act in the best interest of their constituents.

Accountability also helps promote transparency and trust. When leaders and public managers are open about their decisions and actions, they can build trust with those they serve. On the other hand, when they operate in secrecy or refuse to take responsibility for their actions, they can erode the trust of their constituents and harm the legitimacy of their leadership.

In the context of public management, accountability is essential for ensuring that taxpayers' money is being used effectively and efficiently. Public managers are responsible for using public funds to deliver services and address public issues. If they are not held accountable for their decisions and actions, there is a risk that they could waste public resources or make decisions that do not benefit society.

Accountability also brings a level of responsibility and ownership to leaders and public managers. When they know that they will be answerable for their actions, they are more likely to think more carefully about the decisions they make. This responsibility and ownership can create a sense of purpose and drive which motivates them to work harder and to find innovative solutions to the problems they are facing.

In conclusion, accountability is vital in the context of leadership and public management. It promotes transparency, trust, and responsibility, creating a more effective and efficient public sector. Without accountability, we risk falling into a situation where those in power abuse their authority or make decisions that do not benefit the people they serve. Therefore, to ensure that the public sector operates in the best interests of the public, leaders and public managers need to be held accountable for their actions.