The Importance Of Accountability In The Marine Corps

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The Importance of Accountability in the Marine Corps
Accountability is a trait that organizations all over the world seek to provoke or invoke from their employees. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines accountability as “an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.” In simple terms, accountability denotes the willingness to rise above one’s excuses for failure or decreased performance. Well, in the marine corps, accountability is a term that everyone ought not to be told of its importance. The cost or consequences of not being accountable while in the marine corps are dire, and hence it is crucial for everyone to play their role and deliver their best. While in a team, the individual contribution of every person amounts to the success of the entire group. In the marine corps, the loss of one person is a loss to every member of the marine corps and knowing this, each member is expected to give their best. No excuses are expected, or else there would be dire consequences. The effects of the mistakes or one person often cause a ripple effect, and the entire group eventually ends up affected. However, as each person decides to be accountable to themselves, their partners or groups members, and to their course, success is to a great extent guaranteed. This article thus seeks to showcase why accountability is a key trait in the marine corps while also explaining how significant a trait it is.
First of all, accountability breeds excellence. As indicated before, accountability is the characteristic of knowing what one is expected to do and doing it diligently. Well, when a team is made up of individuals who know what they are doing and understand the repercussions of not giving their best, success will not be an afterthought. In the marine corps, excellence is defined in terms of the success of a mission. Well, the marine corps leaves little room for error, and one mistake could mean a person’s death or the decimation or annihilation of one’s team members. However, when every person knows what is expected of them, the results are excellent which means that no deaths are experienced and that everyone makes it alive from a mission. Additionally, excellence in the marine corps could also mean the implementation of a plan with minimal issues or setbacks. In the marine corps, execution matters a lot and a win can also be defined along the lines of being seamless or flawless in how it is executed. With everyone taking part and doing what they are supposed to do, accountability is enhanced, and it becomes easier to achieve or attain excellence.
When success is made every person’s responsibility, the culture of an organization, a team or any group is strengthened. As indicated above, when accountability is emphasized, execution is streamlined. Eventually, this transforms or is embedded in the culture of a team or organization and thus builds an expectation of excellence. In the marine corps, it is crucial to cultivate an accountable approach to matters as this will transform and enhance the culture of the entire team. With a team of individuals who hold themselves accountable to themselves, their partners, and the mission, the culture of the organization or group is made stronger. When accountability is ingrained in a team, it enhances its culture and appears to make success of a mission or a project the responsibility of every individual. In the marine corps, when the success of a mission is not considered the responsibility of an entire team or group, instances of loss or total loss can be experienced. However, when everyone believes a loss or a win is their responsibility, the culture of such a team is enhanced, and no one will need to be reminded of their role in the team.
Accountability also encourages ownership within a group. Well, this means that every person in the group or team appears to consider the problem or mission as their individual responsibility. It means that when something goes wrong with the mission, every person takes it as their fault and works to rectify or mend the fence. A responsible group values and respects their work and each member of the group knows that their actions eventually come back to haunt or impact the team. Every member knows that their energy or lack thereof rubs off on the entire team and thus seeks to do their role or part. In the marine corps, every member is expected to know what their role is and to know that their actions impact the entire group. However, it is crucial for the leaders of groups to communicate the roles of each member to reinforce the fact that their contribution is valuable. When every member knows they are valued and that their contribution to the team is crucial, they are driven to excel or exceed any expectations set for them. The marine corps needs people to take ownership and push themselves to succeed even in the midst of challenges or uncertainties. Members who know their roles in the marine corps and work towards fulfilling their roles end up impacting the team greatly, but it all starts with acknowledging their position and being accountable to themselves, their partners, and the mission.
The fourth importance of accountability is that it helps to enhance trust among the members of a group or a team. For a team to be successful, the members have to trust each other and see each other as agents of success and not as competitors. Thomas Paine said, a body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.’ Thus, accountability is for the others to earn their trust. When individuals in a team start competing, they start to see each other as enemies and not as partners. This is quite dangerous while in the marine corps because it will encourage individualism as each member will try to succeed on their own. Additionally, instead of helping each other and being a cornerstone ...