“With great power comes great responsibility.” This famous quote rings poignantly true in an age when abuses of power are coming to light en masse.

Whether the power abuse is blatant or behind closed doors, a lack of accountability for one’s actions can have devastating effects on a leader’s personal reputation and that of their organization — not to mention the team members they’re hurting in the process. Therefore, it’s critical for professionals to keep themselves in check and use their power wisely as they gain influence. Below, eight members of Forbes Coaches Council explain how to do just that.

1. Be quiet and listen.

Everyone needs an accountability partner — particularly people who are responsible for others. Having someone who has the authority to say, “Shut your mouth and listen,” without fear of retribution is critical to ensuring one remains grounded and humble. When a person genuinely cares about your success and has nothing to gain or lose from it serves in that role, power abuse diminishes. – Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell,Leading Through Living Community

2. Proactively seek feedback from all levels.

Leaders need to champion seeking feedback if they wish to balance power with responsibility. Higher-ups, in particular, need to welcome and proactively seek out feedback on how they and the organization are performing. This goes beyond having an open-door policy. Leaders must have processes in place to regularly and systematically gather this feedback across all levels of the organization. – Kyle Elliott, MPA, CHES, Kyle Elliott Consulting – CaffeinatedKyle.com

3. Understand the impact of not accepting responsibility.

A leader’s ability to influence others is negatively impacted if they are unable to accept responsibility. In fact, the leaders with the most influence typically take even more of the blame than they should — and less of the praise then they deserve. – Donald Hatter, Donald Hatter Inc.

4. Know that your personal integrity will play a role in professional reputation.

Regardless of the power, size or coolness of the brand, leaders live in the #MeToo era of transparency. Few leaders have the Teflon-like ability to weather big hits to their reputation. It will affect the company’s valuation and relationships with the employees, media and public. Also, boards need to dig deeper to assess organizational and leadership health. Doing the right thing pays dividends. – Shoma Chatterjee, ghSMART

5. Learn to set a good example for your team.

If you are a leader and aspire to leave a legacy, be aware that people do what they see. The hardest part of leadership is leading oneself. But, if you are vigilant in understanding that your team will respond to what you demonstrate as important and take cues from your actions, it may instill a greater sense of accountability to model the behavior you wish to see in others. – Erin Urban, UPPSolutions, LLC

6. Align your mission and purpose for the greater good.

A delicate balance shares space at the intersection of power and responsibility. It’s often referred to as accountability. Those who are fortunate enough to be considered “higher-ups” must always be conscious and respectful of the greater good when making difficult decisions, not just for the interest of stakeholders but for all. – Kenneth Johnson, East Coast Executives

7. Empower your team to ‘manage up.’

Hire competent people, and give them the autonomy to manage upward. This allows leaders to focus on more major responsibilities than balancing power. After all, it is not about power and control. It is about inclusion and teamwork. – Arlene Donovan, Turning Point Coaching LLC

8. Track your commitments and be true to your word.

First, do a gut check: Do your direct reports believe that you will support them as they work toward making your vision a reality? Are you promiscuous with your words and commitments? Develop a strategy to record the high-level commitments you make. Break them down into bite-size tasks. Delegate or anchor your obligations into your schedule. Ask your team what you’re forgetting. – Deborah Goldstein, DRIVEN Professionals