Accountability Revolution

I recently facilitated a session for senior leaders of a public utility. In all ways, they were confident that they successfully lived by their values, with one exception: accountability.

Some people in their organization, they said, simply weren’t accountable. When asked why people weren’t accountable, one person commented that “it is very difficult to demonstrate our company value of respect while at the same time holding people accountable.” And there’s the issue: To be respectful, do we forgo accountability because it might hurt someone’s feelings if we tell them what we really think? Or do we hold people accountable at the risk of them not feeling respected?

I suggest that avoiding conflict is not a demonstration of respect, but rather cowardice. Accountability requires that we respect each other enough to tell the truth – even when the truth is uncomfortable or messy. Accountability also means that we take into account the dignity and worth of the people involved, and that we look for ways to deliver hard messages with integrity and compassion.

More than anything, it is important to realize that accountability is not a feeling or some innate personality characteristic that some are born with while others are not. Instead, accountability is a skill that can be taught, learned, and practiced. And accountability begins with ourselves. When we hold ourselves accountable and welcome honest feedback, we model accountability… and we just might end up starting a revolution.