The A Word: Accountability

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Copyright © 2010 Martin Harshberger


I recently published a book entitled "Bottom Line Focus". It's subtitle is, "18 proven steps to take your company from surviving to thriving". Wow, who wouldn't want to do that right? I mean if you're a business owner or CEO it's a "no-brainer". Heck if even half of the stuff in the book is of value it's still a value.

What's in it? Is it some type of new age magic formula?

The truth is the "gimmick" of my book is there is no gimmick. The things in the book work, but my 35 plus years of experience has proven that the majority of executives simply will not or cannot do the things that are necessary to succeed.

We are accustomed to having the "fast and easy" marketed to us, whether in the form of a pill, a new diet, or a new business concept.

I used to be amazed at the things I saw going on in companies, now I've come to expect it. Executives and managers are, all too frequently, waiting for something to happen to alleviate the necessity of taking action and being accountable for that action.

As I get more "mature", meaning older, I am able to reflect on things based on experience and historical data. What works and what doesn't. And what it comes down to is there is no silver bullet. Leaders must lead and be accountable if they expect those they are trying to lead to be accountable.

That brings us to the title, the A word, accountability.

I said in the preface of my book the real crisis in America today is a lack of leadership. Take that one step further and it's also a lack of accountability. Not just in business but in all phases of life.

Depending on which poll you look at roughly 68% of Americans disapprove of the job congress is doing. Another poll states that 83% of Americans favor term limits for congress. I'd have to say these numbers represent a clear message, 1st we are unhappy with our congressional leaders, and 2nd we don't want "career politicians".

The accountability part comes in when we realize that only 35% of the adult population are regular voters and 20% are intermittent voters. If those numbers are correct 45% of us don't bother at all.

If we really favor term limits we have the power to impose them at any time. We simply vote out any incumbent that is in his or her second term. No constitutional amendment, no legal battle, nothing we just use our power to vote our choice.

But we don't. We will not accept the accountability for our dissatisfaction, we just complain about it.

The same is true in many of the businesses I am familiar with. The management team in many cases knows what to do, they just don't do it. There are many reasons why they don't execute, but the bottom line is they don't. I can literally site hundreds of specific examples of this over nearly any industry.

Until we accept the fact that everything in life is a decision, even the failure to make a decision, and we are accountable for our action, or inaction, we will not make significant progress in any aspect of our lives.

"A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for injury." -- John Stuart Mill


About the Author:
Martin Harshberger is Managing Partner of Measurable Results LLC. Marty specializes in strategic planning, pre- and post-merger integration, as well as business process improvement. He can be reached at 662-844-9088 or by email at: mailto:info@bottomlinecoach.com His new book Bottom Line Focus is available on Amazon and his website: http://www.bottomlinecoach.com/


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