A message from David at: www.principlesinbusiness.com
MESSAGE BOARD: Vol.2 Issue 4 April 2009
Hello and welcome to the April 2009 Message Board
from PiB, the latest in your series of monthly news and articles on
corporate life, leadership, teams and working relationships in general. I expect you all know by now that we don't apply the 3Ps to all of the above; because the 3Ps IS all of the above. That of course, is what I hope to convey in each of the feature articles...
One lives in a state of optimism, possibility, and an innate trust in the human capacity to regenerate! I thank you for your continued support. If you missed previous Message Boards, you can retrieve them from the PiB
Archive.
But time's a wasting. Enjoy this issue...
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IN THIS ISSUE
2009 Calendar Events in Perth
The Message Board Feature Article
This month we are looking at Blame: the
seemingly ingrained desire to point an accusatory finger at someone 'out
there' for whatever goes wrong in life. In Blame: the Buck Stops Here,
we see its roots in fear - and our own disinclination to take responsibility...
We Are What We Do
Our regular column which takes its cue from the feature article: insightful ideas to reflect on...
Subscriber & Privacy Information
2009 CALENDAR EVENTS in PERTH
SATURDAY MAY 16: Life/Work Satisfaction - 8.30am until 12.30pm
Places for this Living Philosophy course are limited... to read more and arrange bookings for yourself (or a group of friends) for this event:
CLICK HERE FOR THE MAY HALF DAY SNAPSHOT
THE MESSAGE BOARD FEATURE ARTICLE
Blame: the Buck Stops Here
Over the last couple of years [in fact for a lot longer] I have noticed how easily we all point the finger of blame 'out there'. In fact recently, I have been confronted by my own tendency to point without a second thought... "the trouble is, if you take your life into your own hands, what happens? A terrible thing; no one to blame." Those ironic words are Erica Jong's, but for me, like an arrow to its target, they find their mark.
|
The trouble is that blame co-exists with punishment - who is going to pay for the failure and by how much? Attributed blame can imply the loss of your job, a promotion, humiliation; or even your life. And when it comes to blame, fear is the gorilla in the room. And for those in positions of authority it is the hidden stick for control of subordinates, whose pervasive and nagging fear shadows their every action. |
"The trouble is, if you don't risk anything, you risk even more. Take your life in your own hands and what happens? A terrible thing; no one to blame" |
Blame seems to have a primal place in the human psyche, and while this 'stick' is associated with 'accountability' or work performance, its root is in fear. Erica Jong's words invite us to consider that taking our lives into our own hands requires a deep understanding of that fear. When we do that, there is no regret, risk or fear of consequences. In this state of mind we can take action without fear and thus, willingly accept the responsibility that comes as a result.
Does this mean that we don't experience anxiety or emotional distress? No! We will feel the full force of our feelings while at the same time have the inner capacity to see them for what they are: our primal habit to blame, our inner fear and desire to point the finger somewhere 'out there'. What takes place next will be up to our ability to take the risk to live accountably in this moment.
What is accountability, really? It is the ability and willingness to:
- accept responsibility.
- navigate particular events or situations without fear.
- declare the reasons for the actions or decisions taken.
- indicate how important or significant the consequence will be, particularly in relation to the strategic goals of the organisation.
On an individual level, it is the opportunity to move towards taking your life in
your own hands, to live more consciously in a deeper appreciation of
'that I think'. In a recent Message Board [WE ARE WHAT WE DO - MAY
2008] I wrote on the 'trim tab factor' (an analogy meaning maximum
ease to produce maximum impact): "To understand this phenomenon,
imagine a large ocean-going ship. In order to turn this vessel in a
new direction we must first adjust the trim tab, which is a
miniscule rudder on the larger rudder. This smaller rudder, which
runs the length of the main rudder, is turned first, and the larger
rudder then follows. In fact, there are no mechanics yet devised
that could turn the larger rudder against the momentum of such a
massive vessel without it breaking off. Only by first applying
pressure to the smaller rudder will the larger one even begin to
move, thereby changing the direction of the ship."
I went on to say,
"This phenomenon brought home to me that some of my negative attitudes
are so big [our large rudder] that it would take enormous mental
effort to change direction", remarking that it had been my
experience that no personal inner effort had afforded such change.
What had brought change was the small trim tab moments when I had
accepted my conflicted state of mind and the associated feelings
with humility. The trim tab factor in this instance was my
willingness to accept that my distress was all about my thinking and
nothing else. This allowed me to SEE THAT I THINK - and that was all
that was required.
I suggest that there is no other bigger
attitude in human beings than that of attributing (or fearing) the
accusatory finger of BLAME. If the buck truly stops here, being
accountable is about reclaiming our lives, moment by moment, from
the grip of fear.
In the business arena,
creating accountable people without the agency of blame is a
challenge; and an opportunity for powerful leadership. How do
business organisations build a culture that encourages no-blame
greater accountability? That will be the focus of our next Message
Board.
Comments on this article? Please email them here
Permission to copy for personal use is granted. For other publication rights please contact the author.
WE ARE WHAT WE DO
Have you (or someone you know)
ever committed to a physical fitness campaign, either a
self-administered diet or one administered through a company with an
organised 'pledge' regime? Notice how easily we find excuses
and blame this or that for our 'failure'. Now I would encourage each
of us to take small steps to reclaim ourselves [the trim tab moment]
each day and hold ourselves accountable; with or without fear.
Knowing that each step is moving the mental rudder to a new
direction and a new way of living a more self-aware and accountable
life. Gradually, our intentions become more than words...
They become who we are in action.
Until next time... David
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