There have been countless studies on how workers can increase productivity and deliver more value to their companies - and businesses are trying everything from new tools to better processes. While there are more and more potential levers to pull in the quest for productivity, you'll do best when you keep two powerful yet simple basics front and center: accountability and clear expectations.

Clearly articulating who owns a task and when it is due can have a broad impact on your business. Knowing how to prioritize work tasks, being prepared with solutions instead of pointing out problems, and keeping a regular audit of your responsibilities are a few indicators that you're good at your job.

At the team level, regularly communicating about accountability and deadlines help employees prioritize tasks, establish dependencies, and keep track of performance versus goals.