How is accountability defined in your organization? When you hear someone talking about accountability, are you afraid it might be applied to you? Accountability is defined as “the quality or state of being accountable; and obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions”. The dictionary also states that responsible is a synonym for accountable. Simply stated, accountability is neither positive nor negative, but for some reason, most people in organizations feel that there is a negative connotation to accountability. We usually hear the phrase “who is accountable for x?” when something has gone wro

By: Taylor Hartman, Ph.D. There are countless books, seminars, and formal educational programs committed to inspiring effective leadership. Why then do so few leaders ever rise above themselves to become what all the great leadership research and teachings endeavor to promote? Why do the Enrons of the world continue to produce self-absorbed, immature, and insensitive leaders? It could well be argued that the very psychological nature of man is selfish—an inner drive to care for oneself at the expense of another. Much like the constant struggle we endure physically against the elements of nature in order to survive, so too must we constant

Brainstorming has helped teams come up with innovative ideas, products, services and solutions for centuries. Today, successful teams use it as a fun yet productive way to generate long lists of problem-solving possibilities. Brainstorming often results in realistic, creative breakthroughs. Break your brainstorming sessions into two phases. During the first phase the goal is to create a long list of ideas by moving quickly to generate as many good ideas as possible without taking the time to discuss each idea in-depth. Brainstorming provides you with a general focus, and then you can begin to discuss solutions. The second phase is the disc