Customer Reviews

The Power of Personal Accountability

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I have read a great deal in the personal growth and buisness development fields and am not easily impressed anymore. It all seems the same - until now. At first I wasn't sure about the Power of Personal Accountability, but as I got into it I was quickly emersed in the ideas and the practical steps given to look at things differently; I could actually feel the book impacting my thoughts and actions. It's more than a book, it is hard to describe, but it gives life, language and practicality to a powerful way of being in the world. The concepts in this book have changed my life; I see choices more clearly and make them with greater peace and higher intention. Check it out and give it a chance - there is something here for everyone!!!

I just read this book as well as the more recently published Creating the Accountable Organization and highly recommend both. Now more than ever before, the issue of personal accountability is critically important to all organizations (regardless of size or nature) and will become even more important in years to come.

In this volume, Samuel and Chiche present a number of insights whose foundation is what they call "The Personal Accountability Model." It can guide and inform efforts to live a deliberate life, an accountable life, one in which professional success and personal happiness are interdependent rather than mutually exclusive as is so often the case. Samuel and Chiche come across to me as being clear-headed idealists and warm-hearted pragmatists. They suggest that people usually resist accountability because of three fears: of blame, of failure, and of success. They examine each of these fears and suggest how to overcome them. They also identify and examine various "rewards" to those who are personally accountable. It is important to keep in mind that both those who resist holding themselves accountable are often the same people who (if not resent) resist being held accountable by someone else. Hence the importance of "buying into" the potential rewards. This is an especially important point for supervisors who are required to hold others accountable for their performance. They must understand various fears and respond to them appropriately, especially in terms of body language and tone-of-voice. Also, they must help those entrusted to their care to understand why holding themselves personally accountable really is in their own best interests.

I was especially interested in what Samuel and Chiche have to say about the "Victim Loop" from which so many people seem unwilling and/or unable to escape. Those who select the "Accountability Loop" proceed through a sequence of recognition, ownership, forgiveness (of themselves as well as of others), self-examination, learning, and eventually taking appropriate action. Those who select the "Victim Loop" proceed through a sequence of ignorance, denial, blame (usually of others), rationalization, resistance, and ultimately, they "go into hiding." They must then cope with the consequences of that choice...and many do so by choosing to repeat the same sequence,. They are indeed "victims" but voluntary ones who continue to suffer from self-inflicted wounds, real or imagined.

Readers will appreciate the care with which Samuel and Chiche examine a series of very sensitive, potentially volatile situations in which there is a significant breakdown in communication or a loss of trust or a sense of betrayal. Those who accept personal accountability make every reasonable effort to resolve disagreements and even significant conflicts. They fully meet all of their obligations. Their word really is their "bond." In negotiations (whatever the given issues), they do everything they can to reach a mutually beneficial, "win-win" conclusion. Of course, those who accept personal accountability are often confused and perhaps enraged by those who can't...or won't. Samuel and Chiche's sensitive and sensible advice on this familiar situation (all by itself) is worth far more than the price of their book.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out the aforementioned Creating the Accountable Organization as well as James O'Toole and Edward E. Lawler III's The New American Workplace, The Workforce Scorecard co-authored by Mark Huselid, Brian Becker, and Richard W. Beatty (Huselid and Becker also co-authored The HR Scorecard, another fine source), Dick Grote's Forced Ranking, Leigh Branham's The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave, and Workforce Crisis co-authored by Ken Dychtwald, Tamara J. Erickson, and Robert Morison.

This book is such a great resource for my daily life and for the work I do as a life coach. No matter what situation I find myself in, I can't help but know that I have a choice. It's not always easy, but when I move through the Accountability Loop I experience freedom...and, well, I simply feel better and the situation improves. From this perspective I have more clarity, objectivity and compassion. The Power of Personal Accountability delivers a profound message for self-improvement and does so in clear steps and engaging exercises. I highly recommend it.

It's rare that you come across a book that is as useful personally as it is in your work. While it is an easy read, don't be fooled by this. The concepts and tools presented here will have a profound effect on your life. I have recommended it to clients and friends who are looking to seriously upgrade the quality of their lives.

The Power of Personal Accountability is truly transformational. The authors present a clear, easy-to-read, and thoughtful message that nudges the reader to reflect on positive accountability. While most people are used to the negative side of accountability ("who is responsible or accountable for this mess?"), the authors present the positive side of accountability. I loved the book. It is an easy read and powerful beyond its covers!

This book is phenomenal! I have used this book for my own personal process to get unstuck in certain areas of my life, and it is powerful. Getting out of the victim loop and into the accountability loop feels incredible...I feel more alive and excited about my goals and dreams for myself. And, as a coach, I recommend this book for my clients to read and use, a valuable tool to stay on track with their goals. Sophie and Mark created such a simple process, and yet, so complete. This is a must have book!

Quite simply, accountability produces results! Accessible, practical, and laid out in a user-friendly 7-step approach, The Power of Personal Accountability can have a positive impact on the personal and the global. For those looking to take a greater leadership role-both in their personal and professional lives-this book offers effective strategies for clarifying what really matters in your life and placing those goals front and center.

Using personal and professional anecdotes from their many years of experience in business consulting, Mark Samuel and Sophie Chiche share the secrets of an approach that can free you from the downward spiral of blaming and abdication of responsibility. You'll free up enormous creative energy, solve problems faster, move forward quicker in attaining your goals, and experience lasting positive change. Your own success is there for the taking. This book will show you how!

I was tasked with reading this book for an MBA course years ago - I still reflect on it quite often in my career and feel that it has been a constant reminder in the back of my head to remain accountable in every sense of the word. This book applies at work and at home and while the message may seem so basic, remembering it every day is powerful.

So now I know that it isn't always everyone else's fault when things go awry in my business... The Power of Personal Accountability has really helped me and my management team to take responsibility for our leadership weaknesses and constructively improve productivity and employee morale. It may be easier to detect the flaws in others but much harder to understand that we may be driving them to underperform. Using the models in the book our managers are now able to to make an honest self evaluation of leadership skills and methods. The best part is that the more we develop personal accountability the better everyone seems to feel and cooperate. This is an extremely valuable tool for any company or family seeking group harmony!

Concise straight forward well organized presentation with general illustrations and examples easy to understand and to apply to real-life situations.