Don’t Confuse Blame With Accountability

Accountability is a basic tenet of EOS^®. It’s essential to clarify who is responsible for what, top to bottom.

One of the challenges when creating a culture of accountability is to coach managers not to mistake blame for accountability. They are not the same.

Avoid The Blame Frame

The easy response to sub-par performance is to find someone to blame. We find the culprit, deliver a scathing rebuke — often in the presence of others so they also know “we’re serious about results.”

We congratulate ourselves for holding someone accountable. Unfortunately, the effect of blame is to create a “gotcha” culture driven by fear, conflict avoidance, and withholding new ideas. Innovation disappears because people are afraid to speak up.

Focus On The Future

Here’s the secret: shift from a blame frame to simple inquiry about what happened. Focus only on the core issue at hand — use the IDS process (Identify, Discuss and Solve) from the EOS Process™. Dig deep to uncover the real issue(s). Discuss what went wrong, and determine the best action(s) to move forward.

Remember, it’s not about whose fault it is. It’s about fixing the problem. You need the engagement of the people who made the mistakes in order to identify and fix what actually went wrong.

True accountability is straightforward and energizing. It keeps the focus on a better future, not a shameful past.

Next Steps

• Download a free chapter of What the Heck is EOS? 
• Order What The Heck Is EOS? for every employee in your company. Save 50% off the retail price when you order 20+ hardcover copies of the book from our publisher.
• Download our free eBook: 20+ EOS Terms Your Employees Need To Know

This post originally appeared on the EOS First Saturday Blog on August 14, 2017.