Managing by Accountability

At its core, accountability is the responsibility to act. It is the commitment to do the right thing and stand by your decisions. Perhaps most importantly, it is a quality that must come from within; dishearteningly, even as legislators, shareholders, customers, and community activists are demanding greater accountability from corporate leaders, too many are waiting for some third party to take action. Whatever the endeavor, it is ultimately the individual who must hold himself to the highest standard first. Those who manage by accountability viscerally know that external rules cannot substitute for character. And they know that accountability is a quality that can be developed, honed through practice, and encouraged in others. Using stories drawn from David Dealy's experiences on the front lines, as well as examples from other successful leaders, Managing by Accountability demonstrates how leaders who embark on a management philosophy of personal accountability imbue their organizations with the qualities of integrity and responsibility. In their down-to-earth style, the authors identify the five great accountability mistakes and offer a wealth of practical suggestions for overcoming them to achieve outstanding results throughout the organization.