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KEYZINE: An e-zine for LEADERS:
ABOUT THE PEOPLE PART OF
BUSINESS
Volume
89, August 2008
Publisher: © Key Associates, 2008
ISSN #
1545-8873
http://www.mkkey.com/
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This Issue: On "Accountability"
Contents:
"Liberty means
responsibility. That is why most men
dread it.”
- George Bernard Shaw
"If you don't accept responsibility for your actions,
then you are forever chained to a position of defense.”
- Holly Lisle, Fire in the Mist (1992)
"You can delegate
authority, but not responsibility.”
- Stephen W. Comiskey
EXPECTING ACCOUNTABILITY AS A CONDITION
OF CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP.
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MAINTAINING YOURSELF AS A
LEADER
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Have you noticed that people are prone to bring
you problems, without any sense of personal responsibility?
Often it has to do with something someone else
has done to them. It often begins with "they."
"When are they going to fix this problem?"
"When are they going to provide me with _____?"
"Why do we have to change?"
"Who made the mistake?"
According to Miller (2004) and Oakley & Krug
(1994), these are ineffective questions. They
displace the responsibility (for the customer)
and the accountability (to the organization) away
from the problem-owner. The challenge for leaders
is to give the problem back to its rightful owner, to
enable people to tackle and design solutions for
themselves.
Instead of finger-pointing, procrastinating, and
“we-they”ing at work, all of us need to concentrate
on bringing out the best in ourselves and one an other.
We are all on the same team, and everyone’s success
is mutual.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
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When I ask for help, I am frequently put off by
the
comment, "I'm too busy." How can I let this go?
"Busyness" has been raised to a sacrament. If a
leader asks someone to do something in the interests
of the organization, it is not an invitation, it is an
expectation (Tim Porter O'Grady, 2007). “I’m
too busy”
is not an acceptable answer. Membership
in a community
comes with demonstration of contribution.
Productivity
and priorities come with the privilege of belonging.
Everyone is obligated to add value and make minutes count.
Be very clear about expectations. Don't let it go.
How do I deal with "they-ism" in our organization?
Who are “they” anyway? “They
did it to me.” “How could
they?”
“It’s not my fault.” This is victim thinking--a
powerless position.
Instead, the
accountable person focuses on solutions—what I can do—
versus blame and how
to change others. You cannot change
others—
only yourself. The best
place to find a helping hand is at the end of
your arm.
Is there a way to talk accountability, so that people can understand it?
John Miller (2004) created a formula of personal accountability,
with a tool called the Question Behind the Question (QBQ). It
is intended to help individuals practice personal accountability,
instead
of blaming, complaining and spending energy trying
to
deflect additional work.
It occurs by asking the right questions:
1) Begin questions with “What” or "How;”
2) Use “I,” (not they, them,
we, or you); and
3) Focus on Action. “How
can I move this forward?”
"What can I do?"
"Choosing
to," instead of "having to," is very empowering
and builds on personal accountability.
How do I better understand the way I contribute to problems?
Ask:
- What is my role in this situation?
- What are my beliefs about the matter and what am I telling myself?
- What am I doing (or not doing) to
promote the situation
as it exists?
- What is under my control?
- What can I do to have an impact?
- How can I do things differently?
(and then conduct an experiment)
EXERCISES AND ACTION ITEMS:
* Check the language of your questions. How often
do you say "What" and "How," rather than
"Why,"
"When," and "Who?"
* Hold a Whine and Cheese party. Listen to gripes
for a set amount of time, then banish them forever.
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EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES
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Make personal
accountability part of your culture
http://www.personalaccountabilityatwork.com/?gclid=CJ3c46nmoZUCFQIyxwodKEJEaQ
Another e-zine addressing personal accountability
http://www.orgcoach.net/newsletter/dec2004.html#a
e-book, including performance agreements
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_71.htm
Key Associates offers Leadership training,
including Professionalism.
Call 1-888-655-3901 or visit
http://www.mkkey.com/ for a synopsis.
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OTHER
USEFUL
WEBSITES
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How self-responsible are you? Take a quiz
http://www.lifescript.com/quiz/quiz.asp?bid=46623&trans=1&du=1&gclid=CNyLhv7loZUCFRKLxwodAzruaQ&ef_id=1350:3:s_c7c2bc7890da01b7105320d936ee98ce_601674785_personal%20accountability:X8OoK9BkLAoAAFZaPCUAAAAC:20080822154851
Accountability from others within your organization
starts with being accountable to yourself:
http://www.sideroad.com/Leadership/personal-accountability.html
What do Apple, Inc., Nordstrom and Whole Foods all have in common?
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/sam-silverstein/sam-silversteinspeakerpersonal-and-corporate-accountability/personal-accountabi
Former Keyzines on related topics:
Volume 28, July
2003 - Pride in Work
Volume
38, May 2004 - Cynicism
Volume 56,
November 2005 - Giving Direction
Volume 59,
2006, February 2006 - Time Management
Volume 66,
September 2006 - On Delegation
Volume
77, August 2007 - Constructive Confrontation
Volume 83,
February 2008 - Toxic People
Volume 86, May
2008 - Civility
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ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS
**************************************
Fiset, Jay. Reframe
Your Blame, How to Be
Personally Accountable. Personal Best Publishers,
2007.
Hickman, Craig, Tom Smith & Roger Connors.
The
Oz Principle: Getting Results Through
Individual and Organizational Accountability.
Portfolio, 2004.
Klatt, Bruce, Shaun Murphy, & David Irvine.
Accountability:
Getting a Grip on Results.
Bow River Publishing Inc., 2003.
LeBow, Rob & Randy Spitzer. Accountability:
Freedom and Responsibility without Control.
Berrett-Koehler, 2002.
Miller, Brian Cole. Keeping
Employees Accountable
for Results: Quick Tips for Busy Managers.
AMACOM, 2006.
Miller,
John G. Personal
Accountability: Powerful
and Practical Ideas for Your Organization.
Denver Press, 1999.
Miller,
John G. QBQ! The Question Behind the
Question: Practicing Personal Accountability
in Work and In Life. G.
P. Putnam & Sons, 2004.
Oakley,
Ed & Doug Krug. Enlightened
Leadership:
Getting to the Heart of Change. A Fireside Book,
1994. (Effective Questions)
PorterO'Grady, Tim. Identifying 21st
Century Practices
for Leadership. Vermont Oxford Network meeting,
Cambridge MA, October 12, 2007.
Samuel,
Mark. The
Power Of Personal Accountability:
Achieve What Matters To You. Xephor Press, 2004.
Samuel,
Mark. Creating
the Accountable Organization:
A Practical Guide To Performance Execution.
Xephor Press, 2006.
