Are you ready for some accountability?

Inevitably with football season there usually comes an opportunity to discuss how lessons learned in football can translate into the business world. This year is no different and a great example came in the very first weekend of play.

Controversial calls have become somewhat common place in many different sports this year.  The Lions/Bears football game this past Sunday was a perfect example of that! A game official used a rule that most people were probably unaware of to negate a touchdown. The Lions would have won the game had the touchdown stood. What was really striking about this situation was the head coach addressed the media frenzy with a level of accountability that isn’t often seen. It comes through very clearly in the following quote:

“As dramatic and controversial as the play with 24 seconds left might have been, there were 126 other plays from scrimmage that also had an impact on the game. Those plays kept Lions coach Jim Schwartz from pinning the loss on the one play.

"The time I stand up here blaming the officials for a loss is the time I don't have to do this anymore," Schwartz said.”
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100912/OPINION03/9120339/1126/rss14#ixzz0zX3KYjIH

The team had plenty of time to win that game – they put themselves in the position where the outcome hinged on one play. That play failed and they lost the game.

Wow, that’s standing up and honestly looking at the teams shortcomings in the entire process. That’s accountability and I really feel that it can be rare in this world. After all, who would want to willingly stand up, in front of their bosses, peers and the world, to state that they didn’t accomplish the goal to no fault but their own? It takes courage and a willingness to be vulnerable to make such an admission. Isn’t it easier to blame your boss, your coworkers, this economy or a host of other reasons? Yes, sometimes there are legitimate, concrete reasons for failures though I would suspect most of the time we, ourselves, have a hand in the process.

What is to be gained by such a pronounced display of accountability? Credibility. Respect. The freedom to become stronger.

Becoming more accountable is not easy.  It is not fun.  At the very least we must become more accountable to ourselves. By understanding our own shortcomings and actively trying to overcome them we will become more accountable. Doing that can only lead to improved business acumen!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”