Acknowledging Reality: The Hardest Thing To Do
Article | Accountability Insights
Last week, we encouraged you to ask this question: “Where am I Below The Line and what price am I paying to be there?” Regardless of how accountable we normally are, we all face difficult issues that tempt us to drop down Below The Line.
A quick personal inventory might reveal where there is opportunity to take even greater accountability to get the results you want. However, that inventory can be hard to do because it requires you to acknowledge reality from an accountable point of view. That is, to objectively acknowledge your lack of progress when it occurs.
Here are some helpful hints to assist you in recognizing when you’re Below The Line. You know you are Below The Line when:
| – | You externalize the reasons for not making the progress you need to make on a project. | |
| – | You keep having conversations to try and justify why the problem is still not solved. | |
| – | You are defensive when people bring up the difficult topic. | |
| – | You fail to confront the toughest issues or people you face. | |
| – | You find yourself being sought out by others so they can tell you what someone did to them this time. | |
| – | You repeatedly talk about the things you cannot change. | |
| – | You are not getting feedback from others—real, candid, timely feedback. | |
| – | You keep hearing the same feedback about what you can do to improve. | |
| – | You blame others, point the finger, or say “its not my job.” |
Remember, its not wrong to go Below The Line, its just not effective. The tougher the challenge, the greater the temptation. Challenging obstacles present real dilemmas that often appear outside of our control to resolve. However, when you apply greater accountability to attack those issues, breakthrough results invariably follow.
If you really want to know where you are Below The Line, ask for feedback. Our ability to acknowledge reality directly correlates with our ability to get feedback. Gaining the perspectives of others helps you identify where you may have convinced yourself that either you are not Below The Line or that you are justified in being there. So, here is the question you should ask at least three other people this week, “Where am I Below The Line?” Ask people who work with you and know the challenges you face if they see you spending any time Below The Line. You may have to convince them you really want to know. But when you do, you may find their input invaluable.
Next week we take the Own It step as we move Above The Line and take greater accountability to get the results we want. To learn more about what people may think, consider using the complimentary assessments on our website at www.partnersinleadership.com for either yourself or your team.