So the secret to creating a climate of accountability is to become more aware of performance levels, take the time to give the correct type of feedback or coaching, give feedback as often as practical, and do so as consistently as conditions permit. Done over time with the proper administration of rewards when deserved and discipline or sanctionswhen appropriate, a manager can create a climate of accountability and become more effective.

In organizations, families, and indeed even our Western society, one of the reasons for failure is the inability by leadership to establish and enforce accountability. Accountability in leadership is a topic that is not frequently discussed and as a result often the cause of problems relating to compliance to procedures, following work rules, treating customers with respect, achieving results, and getting along with co-workers. Accountability is at the heart of empowering people to perform well, demonstrating initiative, and acting responsibly. When a climate of accountability exists, things work smoothly; and when it is absent procedures fail and policies are ignored.

Let me describe parental leadership first. I read a newspaper report about a father who had an emotional outburst and caused a scene in a school board meeting regarding the suspension of his son from school. His eleven-year-old son had threatened the life of another student on the playground. Following district policy, the principal had suspended the boy for three days saying, “In light of tragedies that have happened in schools around the country, we take all threats such as this very seriously. The policy requires a three-day suspension.”

The irate father emotionally pleads his case to the school board saying, “He’s a good boy and even though this is the second time this year he’s been suspended he doesn’t deserve punishment this harsh. Three days is just too much, because it’s embarrassing for him and our entire family.”

The father apparently was saying that because the suspension would be embarrassing that the punishment ought to be reduced. In other words, the consequence of the son’s behavior is trumped by the father’s desire to evade embarrassment. That is interesting in light of the father’s emotional outburst in a public school board meeting.

Now let me describe organizational leadership. A manager complained, “My employees just don’t take me seriously. She said, “Even though I tell them over and over, some employees won’t even call in to say they are sick. They just don’t show up.”

I asked what she did when an employee didn’t take the time to call in sick. She replied, “I just find somebody else to work the shift and then when they do show up I tell them to be sure to call me next time.”

I asked, “So how is this technique working?”

She said, “It’s not! That’s the problem; I can’t find good people these days.”

The situations with the irate parent and the ineffective manager are related in the absence of the leader establishing and enforcing individual accountability. When people do not feel that they are held accountable for their behavior, they often lower their performance to the lowest possible level acceptable to the leader. In other words, leader behavior regarding the establishment of accountability does a lot to determine a person’s highest level of performance. That’s what the eleven-year-old boy did on the playground. He had gotten away with inappropriate behavior before (certainly at home and possibly at school) and believed he could do it again. His previous inappropriate behaviors resulted in no undesirable consequences for him. That’s similar to what the employees were doing to the manager. They had not been held accountable when they didn’t call in sick before, so they had no belief that it was a necessary requirement to maintain job security. The manager’s failure to hold her employees accountable created an overly permissive climate where the employees could dictate their own policies and procedures.

At the foundation of establishing accountability is the principle of Behavior Must Equal Consequence. When people do not believe that their behavior will result in a consequence, they are free to choose any behavior that feels good at the moment. When people believe that their positive behaviors will result in positive feedback or even rewards, and their inappropriate behaviors will result in corrective feedback, coaching, or even discipline, they will raise their performance to the standard expected by the leader. The leader sets the standard through his or her application of feedback, coaching and discipline.

I don’t know all of the details about the parent and his son, the schoolyard bully, but it is a safe bet that the son had not been held accountable for his behaviors in the past. The reason he threatened another classmate’s life is because he didn’t believe that his behavior would have any undesirable consequences. He thought he could get away with it. And, the reason why the manager’s employees didn’t call in sick, and didn’t even apologize for not doing so was because they also thought they could get away with it. The two examples are related because in each case the leader failed to establish personal accountability by practicing the principle of Behavior Must Equal Consequence.

Effective leaders believe in and practice the principle of Behavior Must Equal Consequence. When an employee performs well and/or adheres to organizational rules, an effective manager will notice and provide the employee with appropriate feedback to reinforce the good performance. Likewise, when an employee does not perform well and/or does not follow the rules, an effective manager will notice and provide the employee with corrective feedback, or coaching to change the performance. Exactly the same thing is true when raising children. Behavior Must Equal Consequence, both positive and negative, must be a guiding principle to raise responsible children who as a consequence act responsibly.

Personal accountability is a climate that is created when a leader consistently practices Behavior Must Equal Consequence. The word “consistently” often bothers managers, because they think it means “every time.” Clearly, a manager cannot provide supportive or corrective feedback every time an employee does something. That obviously is not possible. But a manager can do what is necessary to become more aware of an employee’s performance and then provide appropriate feedback as often as is practical. Simply, if employees feel and act as though they are accountable, then the leader is practicing consistent feedback. If employees do not feel and act accountable, then the leader is not consistent with his or her feedback.

Consistency not only involves the frequency of feedback in that it must be frequent enough to create a climate of accountability, but it also includes the appropriateness of the feedback. In the principle of Behavior Must Equal Consequence, good performance must result is supportive feedback, and poor performance must result in corrective feedback. If a manager, due to stress, anger, lack of understanding, failure to take time, or habit gives negative feedback for good performance, positive feedback for poor performance, or no feedback for any performance, then the employees will sense a lack of consistency and conclude that they are not accountable for their actions. Thus they are free to act any way they want.

So the secret to creating a climate of accountability is to become more aware of performance levels, take the time to give the correct type of feedback or coaching, give feedback as often as practical, and do so as consistently as conditions permit. Done over time with the proper administration of rewards when deserved and discipline or sanctions when appropriate, a manager can create a climate of accountability and become more effective.

If you have observed a referee in any sport, you can relate to the subtle similarities between successful officiating and organizational leadership.

The referee experience is a high speed microcosm of the leadership experience in the workplace.  As an official, the price of entry is similar to that of successful leadership.

Basics of officiating include the following:

• Thorough knowledge and consistent application of the laws of the game and rules of competition.
• Being in position to best see the play and make the call.
• Mastering the art of influencing the behavior of others by demonstrating your understanding that the game is for the players, coaches, and spectators.

As a former player, and as both an official and an administrator of a large corps of officials, I have seen many different styles of officiating work well.  The same is true in the workplace.    However there are core competencies that make up great officials and great leaders in the workplace.

• Strength in conviction grounded in the goals and expectations of the organization.
• Your presence and contribution are felt, but are not perceived, as overbearing.
• You are able to offer direction, guidance, and a balanced perspective.
• You have the courage to make the right call, even if it is unpopular.
• You gain the respect of others by your actions.
• You hold people accountable for their actions and “call out” undesirable behaviors when necessary

Being “In Position To Make The Call”

When the official is not close enough to see the play and therefore make the right call, his/her perceived position of authority can be damaged.

At the same time, the official must “stay out of the passing lanes” and not overly interfere.  You have to be “close to play” but not take the game from the players.   As Peter Drucker said “productivity depends on an acknowledgement that the person doing the job knows the job better than the person overseeing it.”  What is important about Drucker’s observation is that when you show respect for and include the person closest to the job (or to the customer), you not only get their buy in and ownership, but increased productivity as well.  Increased productivity, whether it’s quantity, quality, or engagement, is the engine of growth, customer satisfaction, and profitability.

Thorough Knowledge and Consistent Application of the Laws of the Game

You must be proficient in your skills.  We’ve all been to a sporting event where the official was not consistent in applying in the laws of the game or misinterpreted the rules.   Very quickly, the experience is no longer about the joy of the game for the players, coaches and spectators, and the outcome is compromised.  Knowledge of the skills you require your employees to have is necessary to building rapport as a leader.

Mastering the Art of Influencing Others.

As an official, you have been empowered with both real and perceived authority to manage the efforts of others to a successful outcome.   You are given a “whistle” to control the behavior, enforce the rules and boundaries and, more subtly, preserve the objectives and spirit of the game.  As an organizational leader, your position and authority have very much the same basis.  The result of wielding the ‘whistle’ you are given as your primary means of influence will yield the same results as an official that is overly officious.

Great leaders consider the goals and objectives of the players in concert with those of the organization.  Their efforts take into account the flow of the game and the needs of all stakeholders.  There are times when leaders must stand tall and “make the call,” but the real basis of their authority and credibility is grounded in their leadership behavior, over time.

Anyone who has the task of selecting and developing leaders from within the organization will agree with the idea that promoting from the inside to fill existing positions can at times be risky politically, but will often result in a better outcomes. However, it doesn’t just start when a leadership position becomes available. It is responsibility of leaders at every level to be preparing the next generation of leaders to come.  The decisions and actions you make regarding talent identification and development will have a lasting impact on the business.  In addition, your involvement in this critical task will help exceptional team members maximize their full potential and be fully engaged.

If you recognize that identifying and developing future talent within the organization is something you need to start doing, or simply do more of, here are a few questions to consider.

1. What are the leadership qualities, competencies, and characteristics required for success in a current or future position of leadership at your organization?
2. Who do you think has leadership potential that you would like to consider for development?
3. What specific technical, managerial, and leadership behaviors and indicators have you observed in this person that indicates leadership potential?
4. How does your management team and/or others involved feel about the leadership potential of this person?  What strengths and weaknesses do they see in this person that you need to consider?
5. Do you know what this person’s career aspirations are?  If so, what are they and will he/she be interested in development activities?
6. How committed will this be person to working on developmental assignments?

Using these questions as a guide, you will be more successful in identifying talent to drive the organization forward and prepared to being the development process.

This book uses the research it offers to start a conversation about leadership, never browbeating the reader into believing, without question, that what they say must apply to all leaders, all the time. The authors respect the fact that every leader operates in a different environment; that by their very nature, interpersonal styles and situations are personal, and the ways that each circumstance is dealt with will inevitably differ significantly from person to person. And neither does this book ask us to understand the research for the sake of pure knowledge. Instead, we are asked to use what we learn about how the human brain works to become better partners, communicators, and leaders, both for the sake of ourselves and for the sake of our relationships with others.

Each section of the book focused on a different topic: innovation, relationships, culture, decision making, personal effectiveness, and the implications of this research for the future. Using a smart, accessible format, the authors of The Brain Advantage begin every chapter by grounding the research in an anecdote, illustrating for the readers how the subject under discussion fits into the real world. Once they have taught us whatever they intended us to know, they move on to a section entitled “Interesting, but so what?” where we learn how to apply this new knowledge to our lives.

The Brain Advantage also humbly acknowledges that brain science is still an emerging field. As we learn more about how the brain works, we will be able to integrate what we know now with what we will come to know, and we will be able to use that knowledge in a more holistic way. But regardless of what future research may teach us, the principles that these authors present are sound: treat others with sensitivity and be respectful of the differences between you; understand that instinct frequently makes choices for us before our conscious minds have a chance to speak up; realize that our brains are elastic and that learning new things, although difficult, keeps our minds healthy, active, and nimble; be aware that trust is difficult to establish and easy to damage; and so on.

Although The Brain Advantage purports to be a book written for those in positions of leadership, I believe it to be equally valuable for those who are not. The information provided is applicable to relationships of all kinds, regardless of whether those relationships are professional or personal; the authors seek to create genuine empathy for others through a scientific understanding of the mind. And empathy isn’t one-sided. Although it is written from the perspective of a leader, this text also has the ability to provide individuals (employees or otherwise) with deeper insight into the reasons why people make the decisions that they do; there is power in knowing, and this knowledge gives people the power to make educated choices about how, when, and where to interact with others.

1. Leadership – People want to be led, not managed.  Instead, leaders must manage their actions and lead by example.
2. Vision – People want to know how their efforts matter.   A leader must actively provide this vision to his/her people.
3. Pride – People want the leader to feel that they count for something.  A leader should give appropriate praise often.  Using a good positive measurement system will also help individuals know how they are contributing.
4. Congruence – People feel secure when they see the leader doing the right things.  Once again, a leader must lead by example, walk the walk.  Talking alone won’t’ help.
5. Trust – People need trust their leadership if they are to remain dedicated to the organization.  Leaders must be fair, consistent with all employees.
6. Character – People ultimately find out what kind of person their leader is and will be influenced to behave in the same manner.  Leaders must consistently demonstrate good work ethics.
7. Integrity – People need to respect their leaders.   A leader must be accountable for his /her decisions and actions.
8. Responsibility – People feel gratified when commitments to them are kept.  Leaders, who keep commitments, will have employees, who are accountable for their commitments.
9.  Wisdom – People learn most from their leaders by example and coaching.  Leaders need to temper their knowledge with good judgement and concern for others.
10. Communication – People perform better when they understand the issues.  A leader who is open and listens to concerns and ideas will gain more support from his/her employees.  This communication can be verbal, non-verbal and even a simple visual measurement system.  Do you have a positive measurement system in place?

Bottom line, the role of leadership is to add value to other people and the true measure of leadership is influence, thus a great leader must have the ability to change the attitude or behavior of others.

Flexible Leadership is a very positive way in which to help change attitudes or behaviors of others.  Based on CMOE’s Flexible Leadership model there are six key styles a leader should implement based upon various situations that arise with different individuals and levels of development:

1. Control – provide specific instructions and closely supervise specific situations
2. Teach – the desire is to share information or knowledge.
3. Guide – ideal for when there is some disagreement about the ultimate target or intent of the action
4. Collaborate – when there is agreement about the desired outcome and when the leader’s experience and knowledge base is relatively strong.
5. Reinforce – most beneficial when the team needs positive reinforcement for their success.  Key point – frequent reinforcement of positive behaviors and achievements will result in greater, long-term success.

Flexible leadership is not something you do to people, but something you do with people.  Following personal leadership beliefs, core values, and implementation of Flexible Leadership helps leaders to become great.  Great leaders are great teachers.

I get enjoyment in cycling.   One phenomenon I have observed in myself is that I become more dedicated in my riding when I use an odometer.  As I use this tool to track time, speed, distance, calories burned, and even my heart rate, I am inspired to push a little harder and a little longer.

Why is someone willing to put so much time, so much energy, and so much effort into an accomplishment they are not being compensated for – finishing that marathon, completing the miles on the biking course, etc.?  In many cases, individuals actually pay for just the opportunity to be involved in the activity – the entrance fee, the cost of the bike, and so on.  There are six key factors to making someone motivated in to sacrifice.

1. The initiative must be well-defined and have a definite opportunity for all that are affected
2. There needs to be a well-prepared strategy that includes implementation plans and appropriate resources
3. There must have been effective communication plan so all stakeholders understand the “what,” “how,” and “why” of the initiative
4. There needs to be buy-in (personal ownership) from all, along with appropriate incentives
5. An aggressive action and sustainability plan should be put in place
6. There must be a feedback mechanism for measuring results

While all these steps are critical; the last step provides the most significant internal motivator for people to be push a bit harder, to make a commitment to keep going when the environment seems against them.    The goal must be one put forth the necessary efforts.  Oddly enough, the goal a person is willing to makes sacrifices to achieve must be one that he or she has actively participated in setting.  It also must be a goal that can be monitored and attained by following a measurement tool that can arouse a sense of accomplishment and triumph.

When was the last time you asked an employee what motivates him or her?  When was the last time you concentrated on and made reference to the positive effects an employee has in the organization?  Do you have a measurement system in place that team members can tangibly see positive effects?

Here is the payoff for you, the employer.  When your employees are empowered, are involved in an effective measuring system, the likelihood of your organization achieving its goals – or even exceeding them – is astounding.  Not only will you see your employees committed to your success, you will see an increase in accountability and productivity all of which adds significantly to your bottom line. The focus then is on leadership that gets results and not just on managing people.

What motivates you to do a marathon, or cycle, or tackle the big things in life? Add to our 6 point bullet list.

This past week, there was an article in the Wall Street Journal by Joe Light titled: Leadership Training Gains Urgency Amid Stronger Economy. In the article, Mr. Light discusses how many organizations have cut spending on leadership development initiatives over the past two years during the economic downturn.  Now that the economy is starting to recover, these organizations are worried they will experience the exodus of baby boomers and retirees as their investment portfolios start to recover.  Many organizations are finding they simply don’t have the leadership pipeline within the organization to fill these leadership roles as companies shift towards a growth focus.  This scenario leaves any organization vulnerable to the competition.  Add to that the severity of the economic downfall and it only compounds the challenges further.

For individuals who work in the learning and development industry, this news and information is nothing new.  For many other individuals this may be a shocking surprise.  Organizations need to spend more money to develop talent to drive the business.  Remember, half of your assets do not show up on the balance sheet – your people.  Organizations spend thousands of dollars on computers, specialized software, mobile phones, and office space.  Why not spend a few hundred dollars developing your people to maximize performance and drive bottom line results.  If you have not already done so, think plan, and act to develop your high-potential leaders.

We have just been though one of the greatest financial crisis in the history of the world.  The world goes further into debt.  Companies struggle to be profitable.  We continue to see the bickering of politicians and watch the business-as-usual with our governments.  The wars in foreign countries continue.   We continue to watch the further disintegration of the family system and family values.  And through all of this, one asks “Where are the leaders?”  What is leadership?  Who is a leader?

Regardless of our position in life, all of us can and should be leaders.  So what is leadership?  “Leadership is the ability to decide what is to be done, and then get others to want to do it.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower

Leaders accomplish things by leading.  That is, by guiding and helping other people.  Dictators issue orders, using fear and punishment to command compliance.  Leaders shape people’s opinions and win their enthusiasm, using every available opportunity to send out their message (VISION) and win supporters (Noel Tichy, The Leadership Engine).  Dictators break people down to feel inadequate, incapable, and don’t know much about the value people and their power.

What makes a leader?  A leader has VISION about what needs to be done.  He/she makes changes and helps others to make changes in order to see the VISION through completion.

What is your VISION about leadership?  What is the vision that you have about leading your family, in your community, in your employment, in your religious organization, or in your own personal development? As we talk about vision and change, there are a number of tools that can be used to help lead others towards change:

· Situational Leadership by Paul Hersey & Ken Blanchard (1984)

o Directing

o Coaching

o Supporting

o Delegating

· The Coach by Steven Stowell & Matt Starcevich (1987)

o Be Supportive

o Define the Topic and Needs

o Establish Impact

o Initiate a Plan

o Get a Commitment

o Confront Excuses / Resistance

o Clarify Consequences

o Don’t Give Up

· The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey (1989)

o Be Proactive

o Begin with the End in Mind

o Put First Things First

o Think Win/Win

o Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

o Synergize

o Sharpen the Saw

· Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman (1995)

o Self-awareness

o Self-regulation

o Motivation

o Empathy

o Social Skill/Team Builders

· E’s of Excellence by Curtis Reese (2000)

o Ethic (Work hard and Smart)

o Ego (Strong Ambition to Win)

o Empathy (Meet their needs)

o Empower (Help them to Help Themselves)

o Enthusiasm (Full of Energy)

o Education (Continue to Learn)

o Exercise (Stay Healthy)

o Execute (Put your Plan into Action)

Let’s take a closer look at Curtis Reese’s E’s of Excellence and what they means.  What can you take away from one or more of these areas so that you can be a better leader as you travel down the path of continuous improvement.

· ETHIC

o How committed are we to the task or job at hand when we are at work?

o Do we go beyond company demands?

o Why do our services provide value to our customers?

o Do we work beyond the mark, within the norm or outside the box?

· EGO / AMBITION

o I want to provide the very best service because I want to drive results.

o I want to be a top performer because it is who I am.

o Our services are better because we value our cusomter

o I have quiet confidence because I believe that success is a journey, not a destination.

· EMPATHY

o What are my customers’ needs and how can I help them fulfill those needs?

o How does my customer, family member, religious leader, community leader, view the situation.

o How and in what way do our products/services satisfy our customers’ needs.

o I am aware that a statue has never been set-up to honor a critic and understand the metaphor.

· EMPOWER

o Allow others to help you accomplish your goals

o Compliment everyone around you; make them feel good about their contribution.

o Realize that the sole advantage of power is the ability to do more good.

o Empower your people to make your organization’s services even better by sharing ideas.

· EDUCATION

o Be a general student and always learn.

o Knowledge is POWER!

o The glory of God is intelligence.

o When you stop learning, you stop life itself.

o Don’t learn for the sake of learning, let your knowledge lead to action

o Teach and share your skills with someone else.

· ENTHUSIASM

o Enthusiasm, Energy, and Emotion can all have positive effects on what you do and on the people you come in contact with.

o Even your dog can feel your energy level; be aware of the effect you have on others.

o No one wants to get a “Kick In The Pants,” but it will raise their level of focus and attention.

o Clear your mind of the word “CAN’T.”

· EXERCISE

o Your most important asset is your health.  What do you do to protect your health?

o You buy insurance to cover all your material possessions

o You need a healthy diet and exercise for both the body and the soul.

· EXECUTE

o Live your goals and make your dreams become reality.

o There are three kinds of people:  those who wonder what happened, those who watch what happens, and those who make things happen.  What kind of person are you?  What about the people you lead?

Each one of us has the ability to look like a leader and act like a leader just by making minor improvements in our leadership skills each day.  James Michener, author of “The Tales of the South Pacific,”  wrote; “The master of the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion.  He hardly knows which is which.  He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leading others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both.”

Yesterday, while watching the daily news, I saw a commercial that caught my attention.  In order to win over new customers, this organization is using a strategy that I like very much.  Their approach is creative, it’s innovative, and was sure their competitors would need to respond to this advertising campaign in some form or fashion to maintain market share.

However, after seeing this advertisement a second time, I came to the realization that this “new” approach is classic conflict avoidance.  Take a look at this video clip.  Can you see where I’m coming from? 

Now, please correct me if I’m totally off base, (I’ll be confident and say I’m not), but don’t the fundamentals of business acumen tell us that competition is good?  In a situation like this we should want to create a little constructive conflict, forcing these two companies to battle over our business.  If we ask Allstate to “break up” with our existing insurance provider for us because we’re too uncomfortable to handle the situation ourselves, we’ll never know whether the current insurance provider would be able to match the offer, or offer a better deal, ultimately saving use the hassle of switching insurance providers.  Come on people. Buck up!  Step out of your comfort zone and grow a little!  Given this type of situation, the customer has all the power.  If you add a little conflict to the mix, these two companies will need to compete for your business, “sweetening the deal,” and offering you greater gains.   One company claims that it can “save you serious cash,” but the other company wants to retain business and compete for your business.  Keeping a customer is much easier than winning a new one.   Two companies knowingly vying for our business puts us in a great position, but if your existing insurance company gets a call from Allstate, “saving you that uncomfortable break-up moment,” your opportunity for beneficial conflict has been lost, and so has your power as a consumer. 

Confront conflict head on; avoidance never hurt anybody but you.