The Three Tenets of Accountability by Dick Read

Dick Read
Regional Developer

Indiana NE

260.760.8784

dickr@sp-ww.com

In business the best way to ensure that your staff is motivated and giving their best effort is to hold them accountable.

That means that you should have a clear set of rules (or code of honor) and you should have consequences for breaking the rules.

It is also very important for your staff's morale that you, as a leader, hold yourself accountable to the same set of rules so as not to seem unfair.

If you don't hold your staff accountable to a clear set of rules then you risk hours of wasted time in employee reparations and even a mutinous attitude amongst staff members.

Being accountable really boils down to three things:

1. Willingness to admit your mistakes - be willing to look in the mirror and admit both mistakes and wins. Be willing to own it. You've got to be able to admit when you screw up. This is not about beating yourself up; it's about owning your actions, good or bad.

2. Being thankful for what you have. Be thankful that you are living and breathing and for your ability to actually admit your mistakes, and your ability to do something about them.

3. Committing to good deeds or acts that you will perform, today, tomorrow and for the rest of your life.

So admit your mistakes and own them. Be thankful for what you've got - all the good things that surround you, and the resources and opportunities to correct mistakes. And finally commit to doing something good with your gifts.

Remember consequences for broken rules should not necessarily be punishments. Just hold a meeting to retrain and correct behavior. You are not looking to attack or hurt anybody, but rather solve the problem for future instances.

What good things will you do for yourself? For your family? For your business? For your community? For your planet?

For more information on establishing a self-governed set of rules please refer to our Code of Honor Training Kit. For more inspirational words from Blair Singer on accountability please refer to his book "Little Voice" Mastery.