The Full Title: Crucial Accountability Tools for Resolving Violated Expectations, Broken Commitments, and Bad Behavior
Thoughts Before Reading
Accountability is a common leadership topic, and so I am reading this book with a wishlist of hopes:
research to support any widespread claims about human behavior (vs. relying on anecdotes)
an accountability self-diagnostic I can provide to leaders to help them identify specific areas for future growth
specific guidance for ensuring accountability with someone in a higher-authority role than yourself (e.g. your boss)
specific guidance for creating a community-wide culture of accountability
While the author did not write this book based on my personal wishes, let’s see how well the stars align.
Thoughts After Reading
It seems the stars have aligned after all (mostly).
Were most or all widespread claims supported by research?
Yes.
Does it include an accountability self-diagnostic that I would recommend to leaders?
Yes. Their 35-question self-diagnostic is divided into 7 sections that each corresponds to a specific book chapter. If your time is limited, you can:
skip to Appendix A
take the self-diagnostic
read the chapter(s) where you scored least well
You can access the self-diagnostic here.
Did the book provide specific guidance for ensuring accountability with a boss?
The book provides guidance to navigate the situation, but the options may not ensure accountability.
Did the book provide specific guidance for creating a culture of accountability?
Yes, though not a complete roadmap (nor was that the author's stated intent for this book)
Area for Future Exploration
This book is written by a team of authors who are all white males over 40 years of age; the guidance definitely resonates well with my middle-aged white male American brain, but I am curious to see further research showing how well the guidance works across social groups that may have different behavioral norms.
Final Takeaways
Positive Behavior Modeling is Crucial
People are much more likely to adopt positive accountability behaviors once they’ve seen them work effectively
Don't Let Accountability Violations Go
Accountability conversations can be awkward, but they are crucial to ensuring long-term professional success, as well as long-term mental health
You Should Take the Self-Diagnostic and (Depending on the Results) Read This Book
