It is clear that in today’s fast paced and economically challenged environment, the competency of personal accountability is certainly one of the top few attributes a successful leader must bring to the workplace. Leaders that exhibit personal accountability stand out from their counterparts both professionally and personally. Additionally, those that are personally accountable experience a much sweeter success. The modeling of personal accountability trickles down through the departments and communities to the end customer, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. Personal accountability is critical to any kind of success, whether in the marketplace, community, or family.
So what is personal accountability? Personal accountability centers on the internal willingness to take responsibility for solutions. Accountable people look for ways to solve problems and are not discouraged from continuing even after initial failed attempts. On the other hand, a person with poorly developed personal accountability will make excuses, assess blame, and focus on what is wrong. They become consumed with obstacles and miss opportunities to take action toward solutions. In simplest terms, the difference between these two levels of accountability largely determines success or failure.
Every person has been in situations where a “system” or “process” has fallen short of expectations. In manufacturing, maybe a shipment included the wrong part or shipped late. In research and development, maybe the instrument designed worked well when “sandbox” tested, but manufacturing was not able to reproduce that the design on a large scale. In management, maybe the credit market crunch disrupted the purchasing and accounting processes. In all of these scenarios, successful and accountable people seek solutions. Unaccountable people make excuses by blaming others or circumstances, and often give up finding solutions before the problem is appropriately diagnosed. Problem solvers are able to take a bird’s eye view of the problem. In looking and fully understanding where the constraints lie, they are motivated and capable of finding reasonable and well thought out solutions.
A successful leader knows that personal accountability starts with commitment and ends with persistence. They accept responsibility for their action even in messy or difficult circumstances. The result of seeking long-term solutions, which is the goal of personally accountable leaders, culminates in a sustained commitment to the objectives of the business. They are able to examine facts objectively and display tenacity until solutions get results. Also, accountable leaders view mistakes as a learning opportunity and use them as a springboard for moving forward. They understand that it is only through commitment and persistence that their team and organization will grow and succeed.
Several well-known corporations have modeled personal accountability when faced with crisis. The most memorable is arguably the Johnson and Johnson case. Led by their credo (mission/value system), J & J did not hesitate to implement a total product recall back in 1982 when it was determined their Tylenol product was being tampered with. The result was not only the innovative tamper-resistant packaging, but a growing favor from the public. A potentially disastrous situation ultimately became a marketing opportunity. Other more recent examples include Apple Inc.’s decision to provide free service to all its customers when a small number (2%) of customers experienced service problems upon the release of the 3G iPhone. Other reputable personally accountable companies include Nordstrom and The Ritz Hotels. The clear upholding of their mission and values, regardless of hurdles and obstacles, puts these companies in a category unmatched by most.
A clear and value-based leader will have a much easier time defining solutions to issues that arise. As these examples testify, personal accountability results in appreciative rewards. People and organizations flourish within organizations that consistently do the right thing. This inspires all of us to own solutions, regardless of what stands in our way. As personally accountable leaders, we want to both model and encourage others to seek the HOW, not the WHO, behind obstacles and issues. The shift in perspective makes all the differences in both obtaining credibility as a leader and finding root solutions to chronic problems. The challenge for 21st century leaders is to stay positive, be courageous, seek solutions, and learn from mistakes. Success is up to you and personal accountability is a sure-fire way to hit your target.
To help you evaluate your own level of personal accountability, here are few fundamental questions you can ask yourself as obstacles arise:
* Am I asking questions to find solutions (or assess fault)?
* Am I committed to persistence and success, regardless of the ruggedness of the terrain ahead?
* Can I admit my mistakes and move past them? Am I resilient?
* Do I create an environment where failures create learning opportunities?
* What can I do to help other’s generate energy to solve core issues?
