Why you need to know the difference between achievement & accomplishment in your team

The words accomplishment and achievement are often used as mutual synonyms, but I want to explain today how the meaning of these words differ slightly but significantly and why it is so important to use them appropriately within the workplace. 

Achievement

An achievement is a goal that has been reached e.g., gaining a qualification or reaching a certain milestone and is binary in nature – good / bad, pass/ fail, yes /no, hired/not hired..you get the point. 

Achievement is very much about the quality of an end goal as the result of some sort of striving or effort.

As much as most people endeavour to achieve, there are sometimes negative connotations around the notion with quotes such as ‘great achievement always requires great sacrifice’ reaffirming the narrative that achievement comes at a price and isn’t available for those who aren’t prepared to pay it. 

 It’s no surprise then, that this can have a powerful influence on the self-worth of the individual who may view themselves as either hitting the mark or falling short. 

Accomplishment

An accomplishment is an initiative, task, project, job, etc. that has been completed. 

This is more about the process and is less straightforward to quantify because there can still be high levels of accomplishment even without achievement. For example, a team may accomplish a detailed and convincing pitch for a client but not achieve the contract or an athlete may accomplish completing a race but not be placed. 

There are lessons to be learned within accomplishment that are often more difficult to identify with achievement and it’s much more common to acknowledge group accomplishment than group achievement where, even then, there will be some degree of individual recognition.

Why the difference matters 

If leaders are only ever recognising achievement, then team members may develop self-worth attached to being good enough or not with little room for movement. This may result in inflated egos and over confidence for some and low engagement and satisfaction for other team members as the focus is on individual contribution.

Leaders who focus only on accomplishment may have teams who feel valued and respected but don’t have the motivation to push themselves out of their comfort zones individually where the focus is on group effort. This can lead to individuals questioning their level of contribution and confidence. 

In the context of team projects and shared values, collective accomplishment is more appropriate and meaningful whereas ‘high achievement’ is more likely to benefit an individual than a team. 

The key then is to ensure that team members are working towards a common goal and are aware of their individual role in the success or otherwise of the team. 

Individual recognition is undoubtedly important for self-esteem but not for achievement alone – progress, contribution, new ways of thinking or working can all be acknowledged and in recognising the effort and not just the outcome, this also greatly improves the growth mindset of individuals which has been shown to play a huge role in both individual and collective success. 

What are your thoughts on the power of this subtle difference in language use?

I train teams and individuals to BE their best so that they may GIVE their best. Get in touch to find out how I can support your organisation.