Ambitious people who are driven to succeed probably give serious thought as to how they can perform at their highest level. Indeed, the subject of How to Achieve is complicated and multi-faceted. We recently talked about the defining characteristic of a person’s value within an organization (see A Secret To Success Hiding In Plain Sight).

There’s another aspect to achievement that is also important. It’s observable in a characteristic that high achievers seem to share: accountability. But it’s one thing to note a characteristic and quite another to understand how you can nurture and develop that characteristic. The beginning of understanding might be in the exploration of a simple question: Are there habits of mind shared by people who take accountability for their actions?

This is a question that David Rock and Chris Weller, CEO and lead science editor, respectively, at the NeuroLeadership Institute, have studied intensively over the last few years. In an article for Fast Company, Rock and Weller elaborate on their research. Summarizing the characteristics of people who take full accountability, they write, “In short, accountable people get clarity in what they’re supposed to do, execute tasks deliberately and intentionally, and learn from the outcomes they produce, whether good or bad.”

Let’s take a look at that first clause: getting clarity about what you’re supposed to do. This is a principle of communication that is invaluable in everything from romantic relationships to professional growth. A business owner or manager may expect one thing from an employee or a contractor. The worker also has an idea of what they are expected to accomplish. If the work is not performed to meet the manager’s expectations, bad things follow. Skillful and experienced managers clearly communicate their expectations. But this is where high achievers excel. They make sure they understand their manager’s expectations. They probe and ask questions to make sure no misunderstandings occur.

Rock and Weller offer a tactic for managers to get everyone’s expectations in alignment. “Encourage your team to sync expectations by communicating in a way that’s succinct, specific, and generous (SSG),” they write. “SSG communication uses a narrow focus to support working memory (succinct); it uses visual, explicit language to enhance processing (specific); and it’s tailored to create ease of understanding (generous). It’s not ‘Get me this report by 5 p.m.’ —rather, it’s ‘Email me this report by 5 p.m. Eastern Time, and please attach the report as a PDF.’”

The next habit of people who take full accountability is a focus on deliberate and thoughtful action. Acting this way requires a certain level of self-awareness. If a person is aware of their own biases (for example, a tendency to value expediency over thoroughness), then they can train themselves to step back and consider different courses of action, perhaps balancing expediency and thoroughness. They can then proceed whole heartedly, knowing they are on track to do the best they are capable of.

The final shared habit is perhaps the most valuable because it involves growth and learning. Accountability does not simply involve taking responsibility for the outcome at the moment a job is completed. As Rock and Weller emphasize, “it means seeing how those actions play out going forward. Even the best laid plans can produce unexpected results. Accountable leaders own their team’s impact, regardless of people’s positive intentions, and then they devise new plans to keep pushing toward success.”

That provides the opportunity for personal and professional growth. That includes recognizing and admitting mistakes, because learning from a mistake is one of the surest paths to expertise. Rock and Weller stress the value of a growth mindset, saying, “When people always seem to get things done, it’s because they’re not getting mired in failure or basking in success. They may pause to experience their emotions, but ultimately they’re focused on achieving the next set of goals in front of them.”

Developing habits of mind that help a person take full accountability as a way of working is doable. It simply requires keeping the habits top of mind.