Accountability for Managers

Developed
By
Terri Lorz
2014
Personal Accountability
for
Managers
Developing a Leadership Philosophy
A self-guided tour of personal accountability for managers
Accountability
Kindness
Listening
Strong
Learning
Clear
Integrity
Creative
Mindful
Wise
Visionary
Service
Develop
Improve
Responsibility
Challenge
Engage
Collaborate
Positive
Productive
Excellence
“Great leaders inspire
people to have confidence
in themselves.”
Eleanor Roosevelt.

Welcome to Personal Accountability for Managers
Defining What Leadership Means to You
This online training is self-paced. Set aside two hours in
order to complete the exercises.
This training is designed to help you define what kind of leader you
want to be. Hopefully it will be a thoughtful process that will guide
you in decisions and interactions. As a leader you will impact many
people. Make sure it is positive and affirming.
Today you will:
• Learn how to become a deliberate leader and not a default leader.
• Define what leadership means to you.
• Create a Leadership Philosophy Statement.
• Identify three leadership goals for yourself
• to accomplish this next year.
Personal Accountability for Managers
Go through the training again in 6 months. You will learn more,
deepen your understanding of accountability &leadership
as you continue the journey of applying these concepts.
 1
 2
 3

The Power of Defaults
There is a phenomenon known as the default effect. It refers to the tendency to go with a pre-
decided answer regardless of what you actually might want or would be best. For example in
countries where you can choose to be an organ donor, but the default “no” about 25% choose to be
organ donors but most stick with the default choice even though when asked most say they want to
be a donor. Where the default choice is to be an organ donor again most people stay with the
default choice. In fact in some countries almost 100% opt in when the default is to opt in. This has
huge impact on organ donations and lives in the corresponding countries.
There are many studies on the default effect. Companies that have a default automatic enrollment in employee savings programs have many
more employees participate than if the default option is to not enroll. The book “Nudge” explores how defaults impact every area of our lives
from savings to health to music and more. Defaults can save time like in the many applications we use, influence behavior like in employee
savings programs and save lives like in donor programs.
There is a metaphorical default that plays in our lives. The beliefs we
hold. Many of us don’t know why we believe what we believe beyond the
sense that it is “right.” For example most of us believe that a clean desk
indicates a productive person. Studies have shown there is no correlation
between the two but most will favor someone with a clean desk over one
that has a messy desk in terms of opportunities, advancements and even
respect. This is a type of default effect.
This default effect plays into our leadership styles. We learned default beliefs about what is
“effective” based on cultural beliefs and experiences. How your parents, school, community, religious
and political leaders led have contributed to your sense of what is “right.”
Before you go with the default setting consider a more deliberate approach. After all as a leader
you will impact many people. When you think about great leaders they touch and influence the
people they directly lead and that influence extends as those people touch and influence more.
Your influence as a leader extends through others and through time. It’s an awesome responsibility.
The purpose of this training is to guide you in a thoughtful process of
determining what kind of leader you want to be. It is a journey of
self-exploration. It will be profound and enlightening.
Congratulations on this important step.

personal accountability for managers
Leadership Philosophy
This exercise is designed to help you define your leadership
philosophy. Your philosophy will provide you will a foundation for
your decisions, priorities, interactions, expectations, behaviors
and most important accountability.
Who has been the best leader you have worked with and why?
Who has been the most ineffective leader and why?
Based on those two examples what kind of a leader do you want to be:

What supports a productive relationship between boss and employee?
What motivates employees to do a good job?
What undermines employees from doing a good job?
Identify three things you can do to be more effective as a leader:

What is the main role of a supervisor?
What is the most important thing you will accomplish as a leader?
What is the most important thing for your employees to know?
Identify three things most important in your role as a leader:
“I didn’t always
know what I
wanted to do, but I
knew the kind of
woman I wanted to
be.”
Diane
von Fürstenberg

You have moved from default to deliberate and are now
ready to craft your leadership philosophy statement.
This is an ongoing process and one that you should add
to, edit, improve and change each year as you learn how
to and become a great leader.
Once you have a statement that is inspiring for you, print it and put
it somewhere you can see it daily. Let this statement guide you in
your decisions and actions. And when you are frustrated or
overwhelmed review what you have written.
Before completing your Leadership Philosophy Statement review
the example. Once you have reviewed and understand the example
create your personal leadership philosophy statement. This
statement creates accountability for your participation as a leader.
Take your time and create a statement that represents you. Be
creative and allow your intuitive side to be expressed.
Never tell people
how to do things.
Tell them what
needs to be done
and they will
surprise you with
their ingenuity.
I want to inspire
people. I want
someone to look
at me and say
because of you
I didn’t give up.

example
Make a list of 10 words that represent your philosophy of leadership:
1) Facilitative 6) Engaged
2) Creative 7) Excellent
3) Mindful 8) Integrity
4) Compassionate 9) Collaborative
5) Visionary 10) Respectful
Accountable, Ability to Delegate, Above standards, Accommodating,
Adaptable, Advocate, Alert, Approachable, Authentic, Aware, Bold, Brave,
Candid, Careful, Caring, Challenging, Charismatic, Clear, Collaborate, Communicative,
Compassionate, Confidence, Considerate, Coordination, Courageous,
Creative, Credible, Customer-focus, Decisive, Dedicated, Develop, Empowering,
Encouraging, Engaged, Ethical, Exceed, Excellent, Expectations, Extra mile, Facilitative,
Fearless, Focused, Forward-Thinking, Fun, Goal oriented, Gracious, Guidance,
Honest, Humble, Ideal, Inclusive, Influential, Innovative, Inspiring, Intelligent, Integrity,
Intuitive, Kind, Knowledgeable, Lead the way, listening. Loyal, Mindful, Moral,
Motivating, Not typical, Objective, Open, Original, Over the top, Passionate, Patient
Focused ,Pleasant, Priceless, Pro-active, Problem Solver, Professional, Pursue, Raise the bar,
Rare, Receptive, Respectful, Responsible, Responsive, Role model, Sense of Humor,
Service, Skilled, Smart, Steady, Strategic, Streamline, Stunning, Supportive, Teaching,
Team focus, Thoughtful, Thought-provoking, Timely, Tireless, Transparent,
Trustworthy, Valuable, Vigilant, Vision, Well informed, Wise.
Accountability
Kindness
Listening
Strong
Learning
Clear
Integrity
Creative
Mindful
Wise
Visionary
Service
Develop
Improve
Responsibility
Challenge
Engage
Collaborate
Positive
Productive
Excellence
Examples of words:

Leadership Philosophy Worksheet
example
As a leader I will:
Pick three of the words:
1) compassionate
2) visionary
3) mindful
Through:
1) engaged
2) respectful
3) facilitative
Resulting in :
Use the remain four words:
1) collaboration
2) excellence
3) creativity
4) integrity
My legacy as a leader will be (two to three sentences):

As a leader I will
As a leader I will be mindful each day and grateful for the opportunity to
serve through leadership. I will be compassionate as I interact with others
and will create a visionary workplace,
Through, by
Through a facilitative approach that creates inclusion and allows full
participation and creates an engaged and respectful team,
Resulting in
Resulting in collaboration, creativity, excellence and above all integrity in
thought, action and outcome.
My legacy as a leader will be that those I serve through leadership will be
better people both in the workplace and in life. I will set an example of
valuing others and bringing out the best in all.
Using this as an outline write your leadership philosophy.
Example

Example
Complete your Statement
As a leader I will be mindful each day and grateful for the opportunity to
serve through leadership. I will be compassionate as I interact with
others and will create a visionary workplace.
I will proactively and deliberately be a facilitative leader who creates
inclusion and allows full participation leading to an engaged and
respectful team.
Together we will achieve creative collaboration, excellence and above
all integrity in thought, action and outcome.
My legacy as a leader will be that those I serve through leadership will
be better people both in the workplace and in life. I will set an example
of valuing others and bringing out the best in all. I will be courageous and
kind, soft and tough and when it is all said and done I will be proud of the
way I treated the people I had the privilege to lead.

Leadership
An Important Responsibility
Now it is your turn. Today you will decide what kind of leader
you are going to be. This is the first step. Along the way you will
need to add skills, experience, feedback, coaching, continuous
improvement and your own commitment to this amazing
journey.
Seek out wise and excellent role models. Study leadership models. Be creative and expand your
repertoire of leadership abilities.
Choose your peers in leadership carefully. Remember that negative
leaders tend to foster negative people. If you are spending time
with people who talk disparagingly about employees find new
associates to spend time with.
Be accountable for the power of the position you now hold. You
can be unfair and not even realize. You can allow contention and
quell collaboration. You can limit others and what they can
contribute.
Instead be a leader that creates a positive environment, open
communication, excellence in performance and instills the belief
that all are capable.
You will have impact. Make it be profound.

Make a list of 10 words that represent your philosophy of leadership:
1) 6)
2) 7)
3) 8)
4) 9)
5) 10)
Accountable, Ability to Delegate, Above standards, Accommodating,
Adaptable, Advocate, Alert, Approachable, Authentic, Aware, Bold, Brave,
Candid, Careful, Caring, Challenging, Charismatic, Clear, Collaborate, Communicative,
Compassionate, Confidence, Considerate, Coordination, Courageous,
Creative, Credible, Customer-focus, Decisive, Dedicated, Develop, Empowering,
Encouraging, Engaged, Ethical, Exceed, Excellent, Expectations, Extra mile, Facilitative,
Fearless, Focused, Forward-Thinking, Fun, Goal oriented, Gracious, Guidance,
Honest, Humble, Ideal, Inclusive, Influential, Innovative, Inspiring, Intelligent, Integrity,
Intuitive, Kind, Knowledgeable, Lead the way, listening. Loyal, Mindful, Moral,
Motivating, Not typical, Objective, Open, Original, Over the top, Passionate, Patient
Focused ,Pleasant, Priceless, Pro-active, Problem Solver, Professional, Pursue, Raise the bar,
Rare, Receptive, Respectful, Responsible, Responsive, Role model, Sense of Humor,
Service, Skilled, Smart, Steady, Strategic, Streamline, Stunning, Supportive, Teaching,
Team focus, Thoughtful, Thought-provoking, Timely, Tireless, Transparent,
Trustworthy, Valuable, Vigilant, Vision, Well informed, Wise.
Accountability
Kindness
Listening
Strong
Learning
Clear
Integrity
Creative
Mindful
Wise
Visionary
Service
Develop
Improve
Responsibility
Challenge
Engage
Collaborate
Positive
Productive
Excellence
Examples of words:

As a leader I will:
1)
2)
3)
Through:
1)
2)
3)
Resulting in :
Use the remain four words:
1)
2)
3)
4)
My legacy as a leader will be (two to three sentences):

As a leader I will
Through, by
Resulting in
My legacy
Using this as an outline write your leadership philosophy.
Example

Complete your Statement

Leadership
Your Goals
Based on your thoughtful work and your Leadership Philosophy Statement identify
three goals for the next twelve months. Each day review your statement and you goals
so that you can align your day-to-day actions with your aspirations as a leader.
1)
2)
3)

And this is - The Final Word
This is the start of being a great leader. Decide who and what
you want to be.
Review your statement daily and be accountable for your leadership.
You should start the process of getting feedback so that you can accurately assess how you are doing as a leader. Most
organizations do not do that very well. Let those you lead tell you how you are doing.
If it is happening on your watch, you are the main reason. Gossip,
rudeness, mistakes, conflict, errors – are all a direct reflection of you and
what you are and are not doing.
No one makes anyone be a formal leader. You have chosen this.
If you refer to yourself as a babysitter and use disparaging terms for those you lead consider you are the problem. You
should not be in a leadership position over people you don’t like, despise, belittle or don’t respect.
You are not better, smarter, wiser, more accountable, more insightful or
anything else because you are a leader.
There are plenty of bad leaders who think they are good
leaders.
Be the great leader you can be. We need great, accountable
leaders.

References and Readings
Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness
Robert K. Greenleaf, Larry C. Spears and Stephen R. Covey (Nov 2002)
The Art and Science of Leadership
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leader.html
Institute for Mindful Leadership
http://instituteformindfulleadership.org
Bass's Handbook of Leadership (4th edition).
Bernard M. Bass with Ruth Bass (2008).
The Nature of Leadership. (2nd edition).
David V. Day & John Antonakis. (2011).
Working with Emotional Intelligence.
Daniel Goleman
Emotions Revealed, Second Edition: Recognizing Faces and Feelings to Improve
Communication and Emotional Life.
Paul Ekman

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