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Additional Explanation |
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In the view of this writer, accountability and blaming are, or should be, distinct from one another. In blaming, the goal is to find someone to blame. Once you have done that, you are done - with the possible exception of follow up actions to punish or rid oneself of the individual(s) blamed. Accountability, on the other hand, involves a rigorous process that when properly designed, provides adequate certainty that responsibility is assigned correctly. It might include punishment, but it might also include systemic shifts. Unfortunately, since the process can be so rigorous, some are tempted to take shortcuts and go straight to finding someone to blame. One frequently observed example of this is where the manager gets things backwards. He or she decides who to get rid of, then goes about trying to accumulate evidence that shows why disciplinary action is appropriate. Interestingly, 100% of the people who do this said "No" when this writer asked if convoluted approaches and personal dislikes are appropriate things upon which to base business decisions. |
