In the last article we focused on the responsibility framework of the 5 ways of management and the power of its inbuilt responsibility redundancy. In this installment we outline the associated accountability framework and test.
It goes like this:
If you are not prepared to have what you are about to do appear on the front page of the AFR for all your family and friends to read then don’t do it! (paraphrased)
This is an unusually powerful framework and test.
- It makes the accountability test personal appealing to your conscience and societal expectations
- It is simple to articulate, remember and understand
- It avoids the need for explicit lists and policy documents of what is or is not acceptable
- It is easy to hold others to account with no way out
- It gives licence to anyone in the organisation to challenge without concern for hierarchy
- Knowing about it without doing something makes you an accomplice holding everyone’s feet to the fire
For the framework to succeed it needs to be respected and applied without failure. It also needs to be seen to be applied.
I recall an example of an individual failing to uphold this test. He was found out and terminated along with others that knew but did nothing. There was no ‘thankyou for your contribution email or send off’. Lend Lease would rather risk and defend a wrongful dismissal suit than water down the accountability expectation. Expediency is poison!
Your thoughts and comments are welcome.
