Accountability Attitudes

The three most common Accountability Attitudes™ observed in most organizations today are Defecting, Calculating, and Embracing—each one representing a different view or reaction to taking accountability. Of course, some people demon­strate an Embracing Attitude in one circumstance and a Defecting or Calculating Attitude in another. Or, they can display one attitude at work, another at home, and yet another when it comes to their involvement in a preferred activity. So, avoid permanently placing people in one category or another, as you apply your understanding of these three attitudes to accelerate changes in the way people think and act within your organization.

People with a Defecting Attitude generally do not want to take any accountability. Instead, they deflect ownership to others, react defensively when things go wrong, claim “It wasn’t me!” or “It’s not my fault,” and frequently feel like victims of their circumstances. They are quite content to “just get by.” People who think and act with a Calculating Attitude practice “selec­tive accountability,” choosing when and in what ways they will become personally invested. They tend to invest themselves based on cur­rent circumstances, teammates involved, interest level, perceived workload, or risk of failure. And while they usually do what they’re asked to do, they are rarely “fully engaged.” People who display the Embracing Attitude nei­ther deflect nor calculate, rather they eagerly take accountability and become personally invested in doing their best. When things go wrong due to their own mistakes, they typically acknowl­edge their role immediately. They’re always asking themselves “What else can I do to get the result?”

Now, consider the common characteristics of each Accountability Attitude while asking yourself the following question: “How do my people’s attitudes toward accountability affect the way they ful?ll expectations and get results?”

Deflecting Attitude—Common Characteristics

-Avoids taking any risk that might result in failure
-Usually feels like a victim
-Often operates in a “tell me what to do” mode
-Runs for cover and denies any responsibility when things go wrong
-Sees any obstacle as a reason to stop working

Calculating Attitude—Common Characteristics

-Carefully determines what risks to take
-Can drop Below the Line quickly, depending on the situation
-Can seem inconsistent, shifting from extraordinary to halfhearted efforts
-Often tells carefully crafted stories to disclaim fault when things go wrong
-Views obstacles as roadblocks or challenges, depending on level of interest

Embracing Attitude—Common Characteristics

-Willingly takes risk because he/she does not fear failing
-Takes responsibility for circumstances and rarely externalizes lack of progress
-Usually takes initiative and demonstrates resourcefulness
-Admits his/her own mistakes when things go wrong
-Greets obstacles as challenges to be creatively attacked

When people repeatedly fail to deliver on your expectations, we suggest you ask them to apply the above assessment to themselves. Doing so will help them understand how a shift in attitude can significantly improve their ability to fulfill your expecta­tions and achieve desired results. Most people can quickly alter attitudes, if they take the opportunity to examine their attitudes within the context of accountability’s impact on results. In our experience, when people see how a Below the Line attitude can not only hurt them personally but also undermine the organization’s overall effectiveness, they usually choose to move Above the Line with an Embracing Attitude as fast as they can.