Traditional views of accountability
focus
too narrowly on answerability.
Like the foul-tempered Queen of Hearts in
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, who, at the slightest offense or misdeed,
cries “Off with their heads!” some leaders have become overly obsessed with
making their people “answer” for their actions, especially when actions fail to
produce the desired results. The old saying “The price of failure is a pound of
flesh” is based on a speech made by Shylock in The Merchant of Venice by
William Shakespeare. Shylock lends money to the merchant Antonio and sets bond
or collateral at a pound of Antonio’s flesh. When Antonio defaults on the loan,
Shylock demands his pound of flesh, “The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,
is dearly bought; ‘tis mine, and I will have it.”
Forcing people to report,
explain, or justify their actions creates an orientation in organizations that
accountability is something that happens to you when things go wrong, rather
than something you do yourself in an effort to make sure things go right.
Typically, when answerability is the focus, accountability becomes an instrument
of blame and accusation. In such an environment, taking accountability looks
more like a coerced confession than a personal choice to rise above one’s
circumstances and claim ownership for achieving the desired results. A coerced
confession may ameliorate the situation for a time, but it will rarely bring
about a real and lasting change in effort or results. However, true
accountability is so much more than a voluntary confession; it is a commitment
to solve the problem, find solutions, and prevent problems from occurring in
the future. Taking accountability means having a true sense of ownership and
investment. It drives a personal desire to want to be answerable, to want to
have your name associated with the results, and to be judged by the outcome.
Yes, it is essential for people in organizations and society to feel answerable
for their actions, but taking accountability means so much more than that.
People who take
accountability for results internalize the need for change and embark upon the Steps To Accountability—to
See It, Own It, Solve It, Do It. They become self-motivated and highly
resourceful, focusing fully on what else they can personally do to achieve the
desired results. They make it a habit to See It, Own It, Solve It, and Do It in
everything they do. And they believe that they can and will overcome whatever
obstacles they encounter in their quest to achieve the results they desire.
Accountability Community; Do
It; Own It; See It; See It, Own It, Solve It, Do It; Solve It; and Steps To
Accountability are registered trademarks of Partners In Leadership,
Inc. All other registered trademarks and trademarks used herein are the
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