| Nine-tenths of life's serious controversies come | | | | clarify the commitment. |
| from misunderstanding. - Louis Brandeis | | | | Intentions can't be measured. The employee who |
| Traditionally, language is perceived to be the | | | | promised to "get right on it" may have had no |
| structure of how messages are sent and | | | | intention of getting to your project this afternoon, |
| received. However, language actually achieves | | | | the next day or even this week. That's not lack |
| more by stimulating opinions and creating | | | | of accountability. That's grounds for termination |
| emotional responses. | | | | due to lack of interest. |
| For example, there's a new restaurant in town ... | | | | Suppose someone says they are going to have a |
| and the people you work with are raving about | | | | report "by the end of the day." So, what's "the |
| the food. Even before you set foot in that | | | | end of the day" for you? Is it 5 p.m.? Is it your |
| restaurant or have lifted that first forkful of food, | | | | bedtime? Or, does the end of the day come |
| you now have an opinion. You have positive | | | | when the clock strikes midnight? Who knows and |
| emotions about that restaurant, simply because | | | | how can the person be held accountable for an |
| you've heard language like "great food," | | | | ambiguous answer? |
| "ambience" and "the best I've ever had." | | | | If you're working with branch offices around the |
| We use language all of the time, either as a | | | | country or around the globe, the "end of the day" |
| transmitter of our thoughts and information or as | | | | occurs at many different times. Let's say you're |
| a receiver of others' thoughts and information. | | | | working on the East Coast and someone on the |
| Since you use language anyway, why not use it in | | | | West Coast promises a completed task by the |
| an intentional way to get or achieve what you | | | | end of the day. Is that Eastern Standard Time or |
| want in creating a high-accountability culture, the | | | | Pacific Time? Is it at 5 p.m. on your coast or 5 |
| appropriate language will elevate performance and | | | | p.m. on their coast? |
| improve your communication efficiency. Your | | | | Even things that seem obvious can be a part of |
| dialogue will be fast, powerful and complete. | | | | the Glossary of Failure. What about a promise to |
| The Four Stages of Language Development | | | | complete a project by the end of the year? If |
| Accountability language is real. It is visible and | | | | your corporation works on a fiscal year, that |
| palpable, and there is a process to learning and | | | | could be August or September or October. If it |
| using it to help you achieve positive results. | | | | works on a calendar year, it's December - but is it |
| Learning the Language of Accountability is similar | | | | the first of December or the last day of |
| to how human beings learn their native language. | | | | December? |
| Toddlers, for example, hear their parents using | | | | As you are probably observing, these types of |
| language. At some point in their development, | | | | ambiguities are all part of the Glossary of Failure ... |
| toddlers may even mimic the sounds their | | | | and every one of these vague phrases increases |
| parents are using, even though they don't know | | | | the chances of relationship or project failure. |
| the words or understand the meaning. | | | | Here are some of the biggest offenders from the |
| Eventually, these little ones begin to connect | | | | Glossary of Failure: |
| meanings to words, learn to string them together | | | | - Soon |
| into sentences and then begin using language to | | | | - ASAP |
| convey their needs or get what they want. That's | | | | - Right away |
| one way we learned our native language. | | | | - I'll get right on it! |
| Now, suppose your native language is English and | | | | - The end of the day/week/month/year |
| you're sitting in an airport. The couple next to you | | | | - Later |
| is speaking Portuguese, a language you've never | | | | - Try |
| heard before. | | | | - Should |
| Several weeks later, you're watching a | | | | - Best |
| Portuguese movie with English subtitles and you | | | | - Might |
| immediately recognize this as the language the | | | | - By the "next time" we meet |
| couple had been speaking at the airport. | | | | - We |
| Because you're a lifelong learner and you are | | | | So what can you do to neutralize this ambiguity? |
| interested in foreign languages, you decide to sign | | | | Begin using the language of specificity. |
| up for a Portuguese course at the local college. By | | | | High-Accountability Language |
| the end of the semester, you have a basic | | | | Instead of saying, "I'll have this report on your |
| understanding of close to 100 vocabulary words. | | | | desk ASAP," you say, "I'll have that report on |
| As you continue to read, study and listen to | | | | your desk by 1 p.m. this afternoon." |
| Portuguese, before long, not only can you | | | | Rather than saying, "We'll have the project |
| understand spoken Portuguese, but you are also | | | | completed by the end of the day," tell your |
| beginning to speak it yourself. | | | | counterpart, "I'll have it wrapped up by Tuesday, |
| The learning process of developing organizational | | | | June 13th at 10 a.m., your time." |
| accountability language is very similar to learning a | | | | Like the three most important rules of real estate |
| new language. The same four phases of language | | | | are "location, location, location," the three most |
| learning - hearing, recognizing, understanding and | | | | important rules in creating an accountability culture |
| speaking - apply. | | | | are "specificity, specificity, specificity." |
| As you apply the Language of Accountability, | | | | Practice making commitments, using the Language |
| model it for your team and others you work with. | | | | of Accountability by saying, "I will do it on 'X' date |
| Eventually, it will be a natural process. Your | | | | at 'X' time." |
| accountability culture begins ... not with the | | | | The Language of Specificity includes: |
| organization changing as a whole but, instead, with | | | | - What date and time should I follow up with you |
| the language that you as an individual choose to | | | | to make sure the loop is closed? |
| use. It is through individual change that | | | | - Who owns it? |
| organizational change occurs and the change | | | | - I own it! |
| begins with you! | | | | - Will (e.g., "I will' in lieu of "try," "should," or |
| The Glossary of Failure | | | | "might.") |
| To understand the Language of Accountability, | | | | - Here's what it will look like when it is completed. |
| we'll first look at the type of language that leads | | | | Using the Language of Specificity will increase |
| to miscommunications. Language used to forecast | | | | accountability and strengthen the accountability |
| relationship or project failure is called the "Glossary | | | | culture within your organization. |
| of Failure." It's ambiguous, lacks specificity and will | | | | As you practice avoiding the Glossary of Failure |
| assuredly lead to disappointment, failure and bad | | | | and increase your mastery of the Language of |
| feelings. Ambiguity and generalizations lead to | | | | Specificity, you'll see your performance increase. |
| disappointment. | | | | High-performing leaders are skilled at listening for |
| Here's a good example. If you ask three people | | | | ambiguity in language and replacing it with |
| what "ASAP" means to them, you'll probably get | | | | specificity. |
| three different answers as to the specific | | | | Remember the four steps of acquiring new |
| timeframe in which "ASAP" is carried out. | | | | language - hearing, recognizing, understanding and |
| Now, let's say I'm promising an external customer | | | | speaking? You will experience this same sequence |
| a new copier and I'm relying on you to complete | | | | as you become highly skilled at listening for |
| the service contract. You tell me you'll get it to | | | | specificity. |
| the customer ASAP - an ambiguous answer. How | | | | You'll also move through these same four phases |
| can I make a real delivery commitment to that | | | | as you begin using the Language of Specificity |
| customer? | | | | when asking for - and making - commitments and |
| Or, what about the ambiguous "I'll get right on it"? | | | | building a Culture of Accountability within your |
| Do you mean you'll do the task immediately ... or | | | | organization. |
| as soon as you finish reading your e-mails ... or | | | | To find out how well you and your organization |
| after you've had lunch? When is "right on it"? | | | | are using the Language of Accountability, take the |
| Don't confuse the Glossary of Failure with lack of | | | | free Accountability Assessment. |
| intention. Sometimes, "I'll get right on it," means | | | | Excerpted from Henry Evans' book, Winning with |
| that they have great intention and, in fact, really | | | | Accountability: The Secret Language of |
| intend to complete the project. You don't want to | | | | High-Performing Organizations (Cornerstone |
| dampen their enthusiasm but you do wish to | | | | Leadership Institute, 2008). |