Yesterday’s post explored Bruce Gordon’s Accountability Ladder; a useful way to see how, when faced with a problem, we can either stay in a victim mindset and feel powerless, or move beyond the threshold into accountability and empowerment. We began by looking at the first four rungs of the ladder – Unaware, Blames Others, Excuses and Wait and Hope – today we will explore the top four rungs of the ladder, which represent a proactive or growth mindset:
The first rung once we have crossed the threshold is Acknowledge Reality – this is about moving past our ego or insecurity, and facing the problem. “This is an issue that isn’t going to go away. I can see what is in front of me.”
The second rung is I Own it – this is admitting that you made a mistake; it is taking responsibility for the blunder. “It was up to me to know policy changes of the company. I should have been more on top of this, and now it has cost me.”
The third is Find Solutions – after we have taken responsibility, we aim for repair. “How do I go about fixing this? What is the best way to get back on track?”
And finally, Make It Happen – this is the stage where we actively work towards the decision we have made to solve the issue. We can ask for help in achieving our goal, but we are the one that leads. “I am going to rectify the situation by studying the policy, catching up on work that I have missed, and apologize to the team members that I affected with my negligence.”
This sums up the Accountability Ladder. The rungs that represent a victim mindset also lead to powerless behaviours – and the overall belief that things happen to you. The rungs that represent an empowered mindset lead to accountable beahviours – and the overall belief that things happen because of you. 🙂
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