The Magic of Accountability

It never ceases to amaze me that economically prosperous countries (such as Switzerland, Canada, or Germany, among others) base their sustained success on the same set of core values as do thriving organizations, for profit or not.

These core values seem to have universal relevance:

• People care about their “environment”, not just about themselves. They see added value in looking after their surroundings personally, taking care of “their” customers and co-workers, and constantly seeking things to improve.
• People get things done and don't wait for others to say "do it". They deeply believe that change only comes from taking action themselves.
• People are demanding, yet they are committed to their organization (or to their country), to their leaders, and to the values they share.

The effects:

• high quality of work
• high sustainability of results
• high perceived personal freedom, based on people’s ability to make sane decisions on their own instead of following decisions imposed by the top.

There is a word for this: accountability.

People feel accountable for their life, their work, their customers, their organization, and their country.

What is the level of accountability in your organization?

Improve it, and your organization will become more profitable and more sustainable, even in crisis times. Neglect it, and nothing will save your business from decline. In our next memo, we will share some ideas for improving accountability in your organization.

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This post is from our Friday noon memo #97. Interested in regular updates? Sign up here.
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