There are really only 4-keys to ensuring accountability related to maintaining necessary protocols and practices.
The first 3 keys need to be explored in the following order:
Is the item:
- Clear?
- Understandable?
- Doable?
The answer to each of these leads to a natural next step of change, which provides some hope for future performance, while the 4th is the most defining:
4. Do you want to…and the subset/implied question of: “will you?”
If yes, then we are back on the pathway to trustworthy promise. If no, we are on the pathway to parting. This should be clear, clean and easy, but then comes the real problem of hearing “yes” while experiencing no change.
There is no trustworthy foundation in anyone who continues to say one thing and do another. This is crippling – but before you jump on the “yes” train, let me point out that we are all victims to this hypocrisy – ALL OF US.
We are all imperfect people, and we lack full integrity at times – no one can point a finger at others and not be guilty of lacking integrity. So what can we do?
Reconcile. When we do not do what we said we would do, we must pause to acknowledge and take ownership, ask for forgiveness, reconcile (make it up to whoever we have hurt in our breach) and then get back to the process of integrity.
Trustworthiness requires that we reconcile breaches of integrity. If we will not reconcile there can be no trust. If there is no trust, there is no foundation for any protocol, practice…or almost anything else.
