Happy New Year! Are you looking forward to 2013 as much as I am? Today, I am starting out with a chat about accountability and I look forward to your thoughts on the topic.
How often do we hear, read or say:
“they/he/she should be held accountable”? What does this really mean and how
important is it to our personal success and to the success of a business or
other organization? When something goes wrong or is not done when and as it
should be the ‘hold “X” accountable is the rallying cry. Too often though it is
others that we seek to hold accountable. “I did what I was supposed to; I went
above and beyond” are comments that are often heard by those wanting to assure
us that they took accountability seriously and this latest problem “is not
their fault”-but “X” needs to be held accountable. Finger pointing and
criticism too often accompany accountability so it is little wonder that we may
feel self-protective when that happens. Yet accountability is likely one of the
most freeing and effective methods of achieving our potential.
In the executive coaching
certification program one key point that is reinforced throughout the program
is that of accountability; that no matter what anyone does or does not do, if
you want to overcome your challenges, you must be one hundred percent
accountable for the outcome. This can seem a little daunting at first, after
all, we can’t control other people, so what does being one hundred percent
accountable mean? This point is also one that is reinforced in the Striving
Styles Personality System Roadmap process, that clients hold themselves
accountable for the progress they make and to take the necessary actions to
achieve our potential.
Accountability is a topic that I
dealt with frequently in my previous work, one that almost always left me
thinking that there had to be a better way to link accountability to intrinsic
motivation. It also made me more sensitive to my own level of accountability
and aware of when I wasn’t being one hundred percent accountable-those moments
when my willingness to accept full responsibility was overshadowed by a
stronger urge to deflect that responsibility. Even when I was rationalizing
these moments the little flag that tends to remind me that off loading
accountability is not the best way to achieve my potential refused to let me
entirely off the hook. When this happens we tend to expend energy ineffectively
and overcoming challenges and meeting or exceeding our goals becomes that much
more difficult.
In my coaching practice
accountability has a very important role to play in both my success and the
success my clients will achieve. Combining my experience in working with others
on accountability in organizations, plus my new understanding of how we can
make accountability work for us through my coaching certification process and
the Striving Styles Personality System methods offers a much more effective and
positive way to achieve our potential through accountability.
Where do you stand on
accountability in your work right now? Do you ever feel frustrated in trying
everything you can to achieve your goals but seem to keep running into
roadblocks caused by circumstances or other people? Does your hard work result
in less than expected results?
It is likely that accountability
will show up in this blog throughout the year, I hope you join me in exploring
a positive view of accountability.