Make a Difference: Influence Through Accountability

CHAPTER ONE Personal Accountability “I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true … I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to the light that I have.” - Abraham Lincoln WHAT IS ACCOUNTABILITY? What is accountability, and why is it important? Merriam-Webster’s definition of accountability answers both questions. In the most basic terms the definition is given as, “the quality or state of being accountable; especially: an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions.” The value of accepting responsibility for one’s actions, and the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s actions—both define and speak of the inherent integrity of the person. Accountability is an essential quality for anyone who aspires to leadership or excellence in life. It cannot be viewed as merely a philosophical idea. Likewise, it cannot be forced on a person and become a lasting quality—eventually the person will rebel against its requirements. It is a choice one makes because of who one is in his heart. WHY SHOULD ACCOUNTABILITY BE IMPORTANT TO ME? Accountability is merely a great philosophical idea until we make it personal. The only thing that will take the concept of accountability from being a good idea to the place of being a life-changing principle by which we live is our willingness to see its value and to embrace its power to change our lives. Listen to what internationally known consultants and psychologists, Mark Samuel and Sophie Chiche, have to say about what accountability can do for you and me: Accountability allows you to improve your relationships and clarify your direction. It promotes expansion and growth. It supports risk-taking, and it invites original thinking. It helps you to be someone who inspires others to reinvent themselves, someone who can boost morale … It helps you stay focused and improve your teamwork. It helps you to be proactive, instead of crisis oriented. It creates peace and helps bring people together. It is the next step if you want to expand you[r] ability to love and be loved. It helps you resolve conflicts and increase your self-confidence and trust. You might want to check out accountability if you could use a little help overcoming adversity. Or if you want to have more fun in life and develop healthy habits … if you want to deal with change … and experience optimal health … if you want to know that anything is possible. Understanding the need and value of accountability is one of the first steps to having the desire to choose and embrace it as a quality one wants to be present in one’s life. One also needs to understand the implications of rejecting the call to be accountable and thus choosing to be irresponsible, reckless, or careless in one’s life. Consider a couple of what might be familiar sounding scenarios from the business world. As she sits behind her new desk and looks out the window of her new office, Ellie thinks about the people who have been instrumental in helping her to get to where she is today. Ellie has just been promoted to Vice President of Quest Fiber Optics and will be responsible for the company’s production facilities in various locations across the country. She can hardly believe she is a part of a highly respected executive team running a billion dollar company. It’s a lot to absorb. After all, Ellie’s journey was one of many struggles and filled with as many obstacles as opportunities. To have finally reached this point in her career is almost too good to be true. For Ellie, the key component to her success has been her commitment to maintaining personal accountability in all areas of her life. As a result she has achieved success in her career and has been rewarded handsomely for her hard work. Nevertheless, her greatest sense of success has come in the form of becoming a true leader in her company. In contrast to the path Ellie has taken is Edward, the CEO of Brickford Hydraulics—a company he started himself seventeen years ago. In those early days of his company Edward discovered a niche in the hydraulics manufacturing world and has enjoyed measurable success. His strong work ethic and perseverance has allowed him to remain somewhat profitable through the years. Like Ellie, it could also be said his journey has been filled with many obstacles and well as with many opportunities. The difference between them is that Ellie continues to enjoy success on an ongoing basis, while Edward appears that he will never reach his potential. A closer look at the leadership journey of both will reveal many of the reasons. THE CHALLENGE OF PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY One of the most liberating moments you will ever enjoy is the moment you realize you can effect positive change in your life by the daily choices you make. In his book, Today Matters: 12 Daily Practices to Guarantee Tomorrow's Success, John Maxwell explains the value of daily preparing for success. I believe that the secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda. If you make a few key decisions and then manage them well in your daily agenda, you will succeed. You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. You see, success doesn’t just suddenly occur one day in someone’s life. For that matter, neither does failure. Each is a process. Every day of your life is merely preparation for the next. What you become is the result of what you do today. In other words … You are preparing for something. The question is, “What are you preparing for? Are you grooming yourself for success or failure?” As my father used to tell me when I was growing up, “You can pay now, and play later, or you can play now and pay later. But either way, you are going to pay.” The idea was that you can play and take it easy and do what you want today, but if you do, your life will be harder later. However, if you work hard now, on the front end, then you will reap rewards in the future. Think about it: What are you preparing for today? Success or failure? Does your daily agenda indicate that you make a habit of paying before you play? Answering these questions is a good predictor of what you will become tomorrow and in the future. Until the concept of accountability is applied on a personal level it remains merely a philosophical discussion. But the moment we apply the truths of accountability we accept the connection between what we chose to do and who we become in the future PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY APPLIED With the hopes of further clarifying how accountability can be put into practice in our everyday lives, let’s consider how Ellie and Edward chose or failed to choose to incorporate accountability into their lives. Like many, Ellie was intelligent and committed to hard work, and like most professionals, in the beginning of her career that was enough. However, as she began to see opportunities to advance her career she realized she had some significant decisions to make. She could become accountable, accepting her need to develop herself as a leader, or take the easier route that required fewer responsibilities be assumed. Ellie chose to begin the grueling process of addressing her weaknesses as a leader. With the help of a leadership coach she identified the deficits in her leadership skills, developed a strategic leadership development plan, and held herself accountable for investing in the process. Presently, Ellie is thriving on the challenges that come her way and is beginning to be known as someone who has the ability to create teams and produce positive change in an organization. You might say her stock continues to rise. On the surface Edward looked like he was going to do great. His career had started with a bang and he had a great work ethic—a familiar sounding story. Initially his company was catapulted forward by his efforts and began to generate a nice profit. Realizing the signs of growth, he knew he would soon n