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FAQs


1. What is the value of creating an Accountable Organization?
Every year, you invest millions of dollars in new capital and training and skills development for your people. You may have invested heavily in process improvement initiatives as well yet, with all this time, money and effort, you may still not be getting the results you need. The reason is simple: Improved processes and skills don’t necessarily translate to improved performance execution. We define performance execution as the actions, behaviors, interactions and communication necessary to achieve business outcomes. It implies linkage between people to achieve desired outcomes. “Silo” behavior, projects that are over-budget or missing deadlines, wasted resources and a lack of initiative to address problems are some of the common breakdowns preventing optimal performance. An Accountable Organization minimizes silo and blame behavior and improves performance execution linked to achieving business results. This is what IMPAQ helps you to create.
2. What is the difference I would notice if I walked in an Accountable environment?
You would notice that people are very clear about their priorities, the priorities of others and they are translating this knowledge into the actions required to achieve deliverables on time and within budget. You would notice the absence of territorialism and silos. People at all levels of the organization are working cross-functionally and transparently to achieve results. You would notice people working cooperatively. When something unexpected takes place or mistakes occur, you will quickly notice the lack of blame and finger-pointing. Instead, you will see people shift to learning and taking action according to their proactive recovery plans. Finally, you would notice a high level of positive energy, a sense of pride and a desire to improve performance, because succeeding together feels great!
3. How can I measure an improvement in accountability? It seems so intangible.
Part of every IMPAQ program includes measuring its effect – working with whatever systems and metrics your organization uses to measure results. Measurement begins by identifying the key performance indicators related to execution that directly impact business deliverables and measurements. Typically, common measurements include realized cost savings, increased revenues, higher customer or employee satisfaction ratings, improved time-to-market or cost-of-quality metrics. Accountability is simply a nice to have value unless it is defined through performance execution which is very tangible. IMPAQ will help you measure and how to translate increased accountability directly to higher productivity and a stronger bottom-line.
4. How does accountability differ from responsibility?
Responsibility is what we need to accomplish any objective. Accountability reflects the level of excellence to which we accomplish our responsibilities, since this is what we and others can count on in terms of our response. Do I complete my assignments on time with a high level of quality so that the others around me can depend on my output? Do I include, or at least inform each person that is impacted by a decision prior to making the decision or after the fact? When I delegate something, am I clear about my desired outcomes for the project, or am I vague? These are all issues of accountability.
5. How can my organization get started increasing its level of accountability?
The first step is to conduct an accountability assessment which identifies where accountability is breaking down between levels and functions in your organization. The second step is to align senior managers on the direction and priorities of the organization to set the stage for middle management to lead operational excellence. The third step is to establish upper middle management as a unified cross-functional team dedicated to achieving organizational deliverables. Middle managers must develop new habits of performance execution in order to achieve higher level of results in compressed time lines. Finally, it is important to develop supervisors and employees in personal accountability in order to fully develop a culture of accountability at all levels to sustain results.
6. How long does it take to build an Accountable culture?
Results of IMPAQ programs will be experienced immediately. Typically, measurable improvements in performance and morale are present within six months. From there, increasing accountability can become part of your organization’s approach to business, to sustain the improvements and exceed your own records of excellence.
7.What do you do if you work in an environment where no one wants to be accountable?

Let’s be clear – most people would like to be part of an organization where they are supported to contribute and succeed and where people know they can count on each other. This is an Accountable Organization. They may not like feeling blamed or punished or working to make up for where others are not fulfilling their responsibilities, which may be closer to what they associate with how accountability is managed in your organization today.

How will you shift it for tomorrow?
8. How far do I go with accountability? Am I supposed to take accountability for everything I see?
Trying to be accountable for everything we see is impossible and self-destructive. That doesn’t keep some of us from trying, though. This doesn’t work, so we must prioritize and work with others to define and measure how we will be accountable to each other. That’s what transforms results.
9. Is blaming ever a good thing? Don’t people sometimes need to be blamed when they’ve made mistakes? How will they ever learn from their mistakes?
How do people typically respond when they feel they are being blamed? Most people will try to deflect responsibility away from themselves and toward others, shut down or become defensive. This response tends to lead us away from resolving the issue, rather than toward its resolution.

In organizations, we need to get better at managing performance and communication breakdowns with the focus more on what specifically will be done to improve things the next time rather than blaming the person for what took place. Accountable organizations have the safety to raise issues rather than hide them, because instead of blame, people are held accountable with support. “How can I support you to not make the same mistake again without me doing it for you?” Learning is the process and taking action on the learning is the outcome. Nothing is hidden, so issues get dealt with and resolved.
10. We are so stressed because we are doing the work of the people who have been laid off. What can we do about these crushing workloads, especially when some people are just doing what they have to do get by?
It is natural to have stress for a new situation, especially one that requires us to do more with fewer resources. The first thing that needs to be done is to develop a mutually agreed upon agreement for support between all of the team members involved. It is much easier to face a challenge when we have a supportive team assisting us. Second, based on the support of the team, it would be important to prioritize the workload so that time isn’t wasted on less essential activities. Finally, the team will be in a good position to review processes and practices that could be changed in order to be more responsive with fewer resources.