3Describe the GapHow to Start an Accountability Conversation

Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.

—AMBROSE BIERCE

I’M SORRY, BUT MY OSMOSIS IS BROKEN

You’ve picked out a broken commitment, decided to say something, and considered the six possible sources of influence behind it; now you are about to say something. Before you do that, let’s be clear. Almost nobody should be harboring the illusion that he or she has been groomed to solve touchy and complicated accountability challenges. Almost nobody has.

Here’s a typical supervisory training regime. A hardworking and competent employee is tapped on the shoulder on Friday afternoon (“Congratulations, you won the supervisory lottery!”) and promoted to ...

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