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L EA D FRO M W HE R E Y OU S T A N D
Accountability Builds Trust and Influence in the Green Industry By Alpha Jones
In
the green industry, leadership is rarely about a title. It’s about how you show up for the work and the people you work with. If our first Stolons of Leadership article on Work Ethic showed us how leading by example sets the tone, then accountability takes it one step further. It’s how you prove that you’re dependable—not just when things go right, but especially when they don’t. The word “accountability” can feel heavy. It is often associated with blame. But that’s not what accountability is about. Blame looks backward and focuses on what has happened and cannot be changed. Accountability looks forward. It’s about taking ownership of outcomes, whether you’re directly responsible or not. It’s stepping up and saying, “I’ll fix this,” even when it would be easier to point fingers. Pointing fingers changes nothing. Years ago, during a busy summer maintenance schedule, a crew I managed accidentally scalped a client’s newly renovated lawn. No one spoke up. By the time I noticed, the damage was obvious, and the client was furious. Contrast with another situation where my crew leader called in immediately after having a tense exchange with a car owner when a member of his team accidentally blew grass clippings onto a store patron’s car. The leader owned it, explained what happened, and laid out a plan to fix it. The car owner wasn’t thrilled, but they respected the honesty. When it was all said and done, the car owner apologized for making a big deal about something small. That’s the difference accountability makes. It won’t make the mistake disappear, but it can preserve—and even strengthen— the trust you’ve built. Accountability isn’t an abstract concept; it’s visible in everyday details. Here’s what it looks like at different levels: • Entry-level employees: Checking the trailer before it leaves the yard without being told. Reporting a broken irrigation head instead of leaving it for someone else to find. Taking responsibility for a mistake and helping fix it. • Crew leaders: Being transparent about scheduling errors. Admitting when something was missed and resetting expectations with the client. Modeling the kind of ownership they want from their team. • Managers and owners: Owning hiring mistakes, setting clear standards, and taking responsibility when operations fall short instead of pushing the problem down the line. These actions build credibility. When people know they can rely on you, they work harder for you, trust you more, and follow your lead. Leadership is influence, not authority. And one of the fastest ways to build influence is through accountability.
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