It's Your Move: The First Step to Accountability
Every place I go, if I'm in an organization long enough, I'll
hear people lament about the lack of accountability.
Specifically, I hear things like: "They just don't seem to care
enough, I guess." "Those action items never get done - I don't
know why we even identify them." "I have trouble getting people
to be committed to achieving the things they are responsible
for." "Everyone wants to blame someone else - it is never their
responsibility."
These comments come from every level, and they are referring to
people both above them organizationally, as well as those that
may work for them. In other words the concern is widespread and
includes everyone.
People are concerned because a lack of accountability is
frustrating, but they also know that tremendous productivity and
efficiencies can be gained when more people are accountable for
completing their tasks, commitments and expectations.
Accountability is an important thing.
Unfortunately, inherent in most all of the comments above and in
the many conversations I've had is that people think the
accountability gap is about someone else. "They" aren't
accountable. "They" need to improve. The focus is on fixing the
behavior of others.
While this might be true, this is the wrong place to put the
focus, at least at first.
Take a Look in the Mirror
If you want greater accountability around you, start by being
more accountable yourself. Before you tune me out, I know what
some of you are thinking...
"I'm just a middle manager - it's not my responsibility."
"I'm just a supervisor - I can't change it."
"I'm nobody - it doesn't matter what I do."
Maybe you are in one of these roles. Or maybe you are a senior
leader, or the CEO. It doesn't matter what your role is or how
long you have been in the organization. Let me say it again.
If you want greater accountability around you, start by being
more accountable yourself.
If you want to engender and create greater accountability in
those around you, you can start by being a good role model. You
can be 100% accountable yourself.
I'm reminded of what my father often told me: "When you point a
finger towards someone else there are four times as many fingers
pointing back at you."
Being accountable is about figuring out how you can make things
better. Other people's actions aren't in your control, and many
events aren't in your control either, but your response to these
situations and events is completely in your control. You can
choose to be 100% accountable and responsible for your response.
Some Questions
While thinking about the challenges you face with accountability
in your organization, ask yourself the following questions:
* What is my role in this situation?
* What am I doing (or not doing) to promote the situation as it
currently exists?
* What about this situation is in my control?
* What am I thinking?
* What are my beliefs?
* What can I do to have an impact?
* What can I do differently to change the result?
Asking these questions takes courage, because it takes away your
ability to blame others. Asking these questions may be a change
of your habits. Asking these questions may be hard, because the
answers may require work.
Courageous and difficult, perhaps, but these are the questions
of a 100% accountable person.