A frightening thing is happening in business—accountability is declining. You see examples every week on the news, in the business sections of local newspapers and particularly in the coverage of SEC accusations and investigations into companies’ leaders misleading investors with a variety of unlawful actions. Perhaps that’s why a recent incident brought to home so poignantly the importance of everyone who considers him or herself a leader of modeling expectations.
    A young teenage girl living in a well-to-do suburb in Arizona incurred a minor fender bender, the result of a series of cars stopping quickly. She stopped in time, as did the several cars in front of her. But, a young man didn’t, ramming into the rear end of the vehicle she was driving. It turned out the young man who hit her was a classmate who sat next to her in their English class. As the young woman had been taught, she asked the young man for his insurance, phone number, etc. But, before he responded he got on his cell phone and called his father—a successful executive. Dad advised his son not to divulge any information. That since the two knew each other, that wasn’t necessary and they would pay for the damage rather than report it to their insurance company. But, before the day was over the young man’s mother was on the phone, calling the mother of the young woman, telling her that it really wasn’t her son’s fault. Instead, she insisted, the young woman’s truck had “rolled back” into his car. “Ridiculous,” responded the girl’s mother. That evening when the girl’s father made a rationale call to the boy’s father he was greeted with hostility, denial and some pretty unspeakable language. Then an abrupt hang-up.
    Left with no alternative the girl’s family filed a police report and called their insurance company who in turn called the boy’s insurance company. When it became obvious that the boy had been in the wrong, his father finally came up with the cash and paid for the repairs.
    Here’s the question: What kind of example of accountability did this father set for his teenage son? Can you imagine how accountable he is in his business life? If this is his norm, pity any poor employee who works for him. And, what kind of examples is he likely to model for those who work with him?
    We may like to believe that what we do in our personal lives has little effect on our business lives. That’s a bad belief. Individuals who are accountable for their actions accept responsibility at home and at work. They understand that the actions they take demonstrate to those around them the true nature of their work ethic. And, if they are truly leaders, they realize that when they are accountable for the actions they take they earn respect and trust.
    In an era where so many CEOs have disappointed their employees, their shareholders and the public with their lack of accountability, it has become even more important to demonstrate that accountability begins with each and every one of us. Mistakes will happen. When they do, admit them and look for lessons to be learned and ways to ensure those mistakes will not be repeated. When deadlines are promised, do everything to meet the deadline. If not, fess up and do whatever you can to make it right. When an employee needs constructive criticism, have the guts to tell them the truth. Model accountability and you can expect accountability. And for heavens sake, be sure to model accountability at home because the poor child whose parent teaches him to think he doesn’t have to be accountable for his actions, is definitely setting him up for real problems in the real world. n