What Enables Accountability?
Taking accountability is a choice. Others empower it.
Last week, we began exploring the oft-discussed topic of accountability!
We all desire to see others take ownership and responsibility, especially when their words, actions, or inaction have offended us. But it is not always easy to do so. Sure, you have the rare individuals who parade the streets with an invisible halo and mea culpa sign around their necks: They always seem to acknowledge their mistakes, ease hurts, and give others just a little more credit than they are due. Then there are the rest of us who put our foot in our mouths almost daily yet struggle to own our foibles. This piece is for us: The unique yet ordinary human who knows they are imperfect and inhabits an offended world!
An Offended World!
We live in an offended world, and the signs are all around us: happy hours amongst coworkers end in brawls, not fist bumps. Partners convene in courtrooms, not at the dinner table. Friends block each other on social media platforms and in their hearts. And nations engage with weaponry first and peace talks last. – The core reason is unresolved offense, and a torch for offense is unaccountability.
Unaccountability happens when one does not take responsibility for wrongdoing and hurting others – whether the offense was deliberate or unintentional. Unfortunately, this is not rare! A few days do not pass by without us hearing about such instances in homes, workplaces, online, and on the news! In a professional setting, such stories might center around company leaders who intentionally deprived others by misappropriating funds. Then, they did not own it.
Making the wrong history
A notorious and frequently cited story is that of Bernie Madoff: The American financier who, in his heyday, was the chairman of the NASDAQ Stock Exchange and owner of a firm with a stock brokerage and asset management business. Those titles bear a lot of distinction. But Madoff acquired another distinction later in his life that erased the grandness of his earlier years. Madoff is described as an American criminal and financier because he masterminded a 65 billion-dollar Ponzi scheme. The act defrauded thousands of investors of billions of dollars and devastated many. But Madoff did not own up to it until he was investigated and charged. Then, he pled guilty to eleven felony charges. Sensationally, the scheme was the largest Ponzi scheme in history!
Sadly, what is often less reported is the downfall of Madoff and his family personally, as it bears a profound lesson! In 2008, Madoff was arrested and charged with securities fraud. Two years later, his son, Mark, who worked at his firm, died of suicide. In 2014, his other son, Andrew, also an employee of his firm, who was never charged in the scheme and denied any involvement, died of lymphoma. (SOURCE: What happened to Bernie Madoff’s Family? NBC) Madoff himself passed away in 2021 in prison at the age of 82 while serving a 150-year sentence. (SOURCE: Morningstar)
Madoff’s story is tragic on many fronts and highlights the perils of wrongdoing and the need to take responsibility. – Not when one is exposed but when one commits the offense.
The Need for Accountability
The career platform company Zippia succinctly describes accountability as the foundation of trust, cooperation, and responsibility. I am fond of this description because it is comprehensive and reveals a vital benefit: Accountability enables one to gain the confidence of others and cooperate. Also, being accountable requires one to take responsibility for regretful actions and consider the interests of others. For this reason, being accountable tends to be more humbling than glamorous. And no one enjoys looking bad!
Indeed, it seems easier to pour copious amounts of energy into making others think we are delightful. – Without doing the hard work to emit wonder. Unfortunately, by so doing, we create a pretentious image that we struggle to live up to. And the more we refine the façade, the more we struggle to take responsibility for our misdeeds. Sound familiar? I bet it does!
Living such an existence leaves the wrong history. As we know from experience, unaccountability erodes trust and weakens relational bonds. But accountability fortifies relationships. To better grasp this, one must understand what enables a person to take responsibility for their actions.
The Support of Another
As we all know, to be accountable, one must be transparent. But transparency is a scary word that conjures images of exposure and embarrassment. However, in order to thrive, we must take ownership of our mistakes and misdeeds. And others play a critical role in this respect. Because others help set the environment that encourages and empowers a person to be transparent. – By letting us know that we are not alone, and they have our backs. Consider these examples: An astute leader helps employees take risks by rewarding their efforts, not solely the result. A coworker accompanies us to debrief the leader on a costly error. A true friend encourages us to fess up to a mistake by standing next to us and echoing what is admirable in us.
Above are some examples of how we can create an environment that allows others to own up to wrongdoing. Friend, what is one thing you can do to help another – a friend, coworker, or employee to take responsibility and be accountable?
A little something…
Few things impact me like music. Perhaps you can relate 🙂
For this reason, I conceptualize and write with a musical piece in the background as my accompaniment or serenade. This time, The Lonely Shephard by composer James Last accompanied me. The Lonely Shephard is a triste and absorbing instrumental piece and conveys a story about a shepherd whose cruelty led him to lose his wife. After searching for her unceasingly, he became a rock as he stood dejectedly looking down at the valley where she had vanished. – The lesson in the story is strikingly connected to the need for accountability. I hope you listen and enjoy it!
For you and to you,
Aké
Image credit: Pexels | Sơn Bờm