There are just three more days in the 12 (Leadership) Days of Christmas. If you have been following along, don’t stop now! And if you have just found this thread of tasks/gifts, you can get the background, purpose and full recap here.
I grew up on a farm, and while we rarely had chickens (or 3 french hens) I certainly learned about accountability through animals. No excuses, no obstacle too large, the hogs had to be fed. It is a lesson hard to replicate with a pet. One of the gifts I was given as a young person was the gift of understanding and having accountability.
With that in mind, here is today’s gift – the gift of accountability.
– Am I taking full accountability for my role and influence in the organization?
– Do I offer others accountability without malice or baggage?
– If I want greater accountability on my team/in my organization what can I do?
You might be thinking that not everyone will think that being held accountable will feel like a gift. After all, visions of CNN interviews with law enforcement or politicians after a tragedy saying “Someone must be accountable” may be in your head. Or the seldom-stated-for positive-reasons comment from a CEO or other leader saying “We need more accountability in this organization”.
Accountability has gotten a bad name.
Yet deep down, most of us, most of the time, want to have something we are needed for. Our work is most purposeful when we know that something belongs to us and that is it our responsibility to “get ‘er done.”
In my experience most of those leaders who say “we need more accountability” should start by looking in the mirror, and be more accountable themselves.
The gift of accountability, when accepted, creates a more positive, purposeful and productive workplace. And it starts with you.
Give this gift today.
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