As accountability is at the core of our work at IMPAQ, we often take the time to think about the word itself and current uses of its meaning. In this issue of our eNewsletter we thought we would share with you our recent thinking. As you read this, you may wish to refer to the Personal Accountability Model. Click here for a copy of the Personal Accountability Model, including sentences to remind you of how we present the model.

The Accountability Myth

Does Accountability Mean You Have to be Fired for a Mistake?

In one day I viewed three different news channels, which all spoke of the lack of accountability in government and business. However, in each case they all validated their conclusion that there was a lack of accountability when problems were discovered. Their proof: No one was fired! So the bottom line: If you want to demonstrate accountability, FIRE the person who makes a mistake.

And we wonder why people don't embrace accountability with open arms. But, is that real accountability? Even in organizations when mistakes are discovered, the first quest is to find out whose fault it is. Then, people get invested in the "blame game," which doesn't at all look like taking accountability.

Firing People May Actually Perpetuate the Problem

Accountability is about making things right when mistakes have been made. When you fire someone for making a mistake, they don't take the mistake with them. It is left in the organization still needing to be dealt with. Accountability focuses on solutions rather than blaming someone for the problem. In fact, if someone makes a mistake it is more important for them to admit the error and develop solutions to fix the problem and prevent it from occurring again. Firing them might just be the worst thing to be done for solving the true problem.

Managers as Policemen

Too often I witness executives, managers, and supervisors thinking that their role is to police the organization in order to prevent problems from occurring. How do you perform when you are being watched and expected to make a mistake? Usually, we get self-conscious and make mistakes. And, policing people doesn't teach them how to improve on their current results. So mistakes are repeatedly made, because no learning has taken place to prevent those mistakes. Rather than policing people, managers must develop their employees to become better performers, better team players to support others' performance, and more self-confident. When people have been coached and developed, they usually want to demonstrate to their coach how well they perform to prove their value. As we develop our direct reports, they perform at higher levels and become more loyal to an organization that is giving them something beyond compensation.

However, Some People Have Earned the Right to be Fired

Many organizations suffer from not addressing their non-performers. While this includes not letting them go, termination is a last resort. There are many steps to addressing a non-performer.

Step 1: Clarify Expectations and Regularly Update that Clarification
It is important to establish and discuss performance and behavior expectations. However, with each year that passes, standards of performance increase in order to stay competitive and meet increasing demands of customers. Therefore, it is essential to update those expectations and provide people a "picture" of future expectations before they happen.

Step 2: Discover the Support Needs for the Person Meeting Expectations
This is a shared accountability where the individual must discuss their shortcomings in a safe environment. Then, together, come up with a strategy to address the shortcomings with extra emphasis on the individual taking accountability for their learning with support of the organization.

Step 3: When a Mistake or Mistakes Are Made, There Must Be Ownership
While it is best for the individual to take ownership, if they don't they must be held accountable. But this doesn't mean to fire them or threaten them. It is time to develop them with effective coaching and development. But, the ownership for taking the coaching and turning it into results falls upon the individual.

Step 4: Firing an Individual as the Accountable Solution
When an individual receives continuous coaching and opportunities for improvement and they don't improve, thus making similar mistakes repeatedly, it is time they were fired. While many times I have heard firing someone as "revenge" for causing problems, I look at firing someone as a gift to them.

It is not good for a person to repeatedly fail in a job, because that will eventually impact their belief about themselves. It is not good for the organization to carry an individual who isn't performing for the cost on the other employees who have to work harder in return. It is possible that when someone leaves a job that doesn't work for them, they will take a new job that is a perfect match for them. This is why the accountable way to fire a person is to support them into their next phase of life in their next job.

Accountability Means Finding Solutions That Are Sustainable

Ultimately, accountability is not finding someone to blame but fixing a problem and finding a solution that will last. Accountable organizations develop their people so that they are prepared for change and for raising performance standards for meeting the needs of the future. Being accountable means you have the courage to admit you were wrong and take action immediately to recover from the situation without expecting perfection. An accountable organization is a safe place to surface mistakes so that solutions are found as soon as possible.

How many of the above traits describe your organization? How is non-performance viewed in your organization? Are people afraid of being punished and therefore don't take risks to improve? Are people silent when mistakes are made or permit ineffectiveness due to history? Are people more interested in being comfortable rather than going through the pain and effort to grow?

These are the kinds of questions that can be asked at your next meeting to start moving discussions towards greater accountability.

Click here and we will email you a copy of the Personal Accountability Model. The best way to learn the Personal Accountability Model is to simply talk through the model and what it means to you. If you use the model as a "talking tool" to diagnose a problem, you'll be surprised at how easily the words guide you through typical breakdowns in accountability. In addition to that, we added a few sentences to remind you of how we present the model.

IMPAQ
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Los Angeles, California
800 332 2251
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