The Accountability PhD by Sam Silverstein

Photo by MD Duran on Unsplash

How do you earn a PhD in accountability? What sets you at the peak of the mountaintop when it comes to being accountable individually and building an accountable organizational culture? I believe there are seven core requirements. 

1. You have identified your non-negotiable values. These are unique to you and take time to unearth. Reading someone else’s poster and saying, “Those are my values!” does not count. 

2. You are living those values individually. Those values are showing up consistently throughout your area of responsibility within your organization. They drive your decision-making. 

3. You do not confuse relational commitments with tactical commitments. Tactical commitments sound like this: “I will do the dishes tonight.” They can be crossed off a to-do list. Relational commitments, by contrast, are enduring. They are about making connections with other people stronger. They have no expiration date. They are the work of a lifetime. 

4. You have studied, internalized, and now live all ten of the relational commitments that comprise accountability. These are ten critical commitments that strengthen human bonds and empower human relationships. They are: 
   • Commitment to the Truth 
   • Commitment to What You Value 
   • Commitment to “It’s All of Us” 
   • Commitment to Stand With You When All Hell Breaks Loose 
   • Commitment to the Faults and Failures as Well as the Opportunities and Successes 
   • Commitment to Sound Financial Principles 
   • Commitment to Helping Individuals Achieve Their Potential and Be Their Best 
   • Commitment to a Safe Place to Work 
   • Commitment to Your Word Is Your Bond 
   • Commitment to a Good Reputation 

5. You are actively working to inspire accountability in the people around you. The key word here is inspire. Notice that inspiring accountability is not the same as demanding accountability.  

6. You have taken on the challenge to build a more accountable world. In other words, you do not pretend that accountability stops at your family, your team, or your organization. It connects to everyone.  

7. You are consciously building a legacy designed to outlive you. Sometimes people ask me: “When does a relational commitment end?” The best answer is: never. If you want to make a real difference…if you want to leave a legacy…you make these commitments, not just to your family, not just to your colleagues and team members, not just to your organization, but to the entire human family, including those people who will benefit from them long after you are gone.  

Those individuals who meet all seven of these criteria have earned what I call the Accountability PhD, meaning they have attained the very highest level of accountability. 

Learn more about how to Pivot! and be more accountable by visiting: https://mypivotlife.com/. 

Sam Silverstein is dedicated to empowering people to live accountable lives, transform the way they do business, and create a more accountable world. He helps companies create an organizational culture that prioritizes and inspires accountability. His latest book, Pivot!: Three Big Questions That Reframe Your Perspective, Maximize Your Potential, and Improve Your Life, is now available from Sound Wisdom. This article originally appeared here on The Accountability Blog and has been edited for inclusion on The Sound Wisdom Blog.