The Leading Question Article Series

Is Your Accountability in Action?

In a recent series of interviews our firm conducted with members of a senior executive team, a noticeable theme emerged in response to the question "If there were one thing this team could change to increase its leadership effectiveness, what would it be?" The answers included: "We would do what we say we're going to do – fully;” "we would all have increased accountability;" "every member of the team would say what they mean, then do what they say;" "that we would more readily use 'you have my word' – and mean it."

The CEO of a different organization asked us how we would describe their culture. Our response was, "if culture is defined as how you do things around here, then we would describe yours as 'well intentioned people who don't always do what they say they'll do.'"

In a third organization, the CEO lamented to us, "I just can't rely on members of my team to deliver what they've committed – on the contrary, I've learned I can rely on them not to!"

The common theme and missing leadership behavior in each of these scenarios is the practice of accountability.

Certainly, accountability is a concept you, as a leader, are familiar with. Simply defined, to be accountable is to answer for a behavior, outcome, performance, or consequence. This concept is easily stated, yet very hard to fully adopt. Ironically, our leadership power is a function of our personal accountability – yet when things go wrong, we instinctively seek to blame others. And blame is not leadership. It is impotence.

As a leader, your accountability must be absolute – not contingent upon the actions of others. It is a vow, to be exercised repeatedly throughout your leadership day. It is powerful, life giving and hope inspiring to those who depend on you to do what you say you will do. Exercising it regularly and consistently will result in fundamentally different relationships arising from the trust you will create as you choose to promise to produce results, no matter what.

How can you put accountability into action? Through five simple practices:

1. Believe you can make a difference.
2. Promise what you will do or create.
3. Do what you promise.
4. Hold yourself responsible for your commitment, even though you can't always control the outcome.
5. Take care of broken promises.

Incorporate these practices into your leadership today. The results may surprise you. And your organization's culture could become one of "we do well by always doing what we say we will do."

Mark Shunk
Senior Partner
O'Brien Group