| I just heard of two cases that raised great alarm | | | | mean the natural cause and effect of life. If we |
| about our future. You see, I have always believed | | | | as parents, teachers or coaches are providing our |
| that we must invest in our children with education | | | | children with too much comfort so that they can |
| because will become our future leaders. Now, I | | | | avoid the pain we experienced in life, we could be |
| am wondering about who will be our future | | | | contributing to their disease of entitlement. They |
| leaders. | | | | simply don't know better, because they haven't |
| A professor for a University in Canada ordered, | | | | experienced anything different. |
| 50 of my books on The Power of Personal | | | | How does this happen? When we remove grades |
| Accountability. Normally, quantities of my books | | | | from our education system because we have too |
| are sold to Managers or HR Directors. But, this | | | | many people flunking or getting D's. When we as |
| was a professor in the Science Department. I | | | | parents create agreements with our children only |
| called to find out how they were using my book. | | | | to repeatedly make exceptions because we don't |
| The professor said, "I am buying it for my | | | | really want to make our children uncomfortable |
| students." As she further explained, "The students | | | | with the consequence. We want them to enjoy |
| today seem to have an entitled view of life. For | | | | being a teenager and besides we weren't the |
| example, a student who flunked the last test, | | | | perfect kids. When we as managers set |
| came to me to argue about her grade. She said | | | | standards of performance, attitude and behavior |
| that she deserved a "C" because she tried hard | | | | but we don't have follow up conversations that |
| while taking the test." She said, "reading your | | | | review the person's effectiveness in meeting |
| book is like allowing my students to take a 'cold | | | | those standards because we are too busy, we |
| shower of reality' and the most common remark | | | | are taking the meaning out of our commitments |
| is that they see a link between accountability and | | | | and agreements. |
| happiness. After reading your book, they are | | | | Accountability is critical, not just for getting |
| more committed to studying, to their careers and | | | | results, but for learning and taking action to |
| to establishing clear commitments in order to | | | | improve our results and quality of life. Without |
| improve their lives." | | | | accountability people are lost in a world of |
| In a different situation, I was talking with a | | | | expectation that if I show up, I should get paid |
| manger who described the following situation. "I | | | | and if I am there long enough (a year) I should |
| have a young employee just out of university. | | | | get a raise, just because. Or, if I attend class on |
| After nine months on the job and failing, we | | | | the test (no matter how many classes I missed, |
| decided to offer them a different position that | | | | the homework I didn't complete or the test I |
| they might succeed in, since we didn't want to | | | | failed, I should get a "C" because I showed up for |
| fire them. After being told about their lack of | | | | the test. |
| performance and the opportunity to do another | | | | |
| job in the company, the employee asked the | | | | 1. What is your impact on those around you? Are |
| following question, 'Does this mean I am going to | | | | you teaching them accountability and learning |
| get a raise in my pay?'" | | | | from consequences that we don't prefer, or are |
| As a parent and educator, I find these two | | | | we protecting those around us from experiencing |
| stories a bit scary. And, these aren't isolated | | | | uncomfortable consequences? |
| examples of what I hear on a fairly regular basis. | | | | 2. Are you modeling accountability with the |
| It is clear that these young adults have not | | | | commitments you make and your response to |
| experienced accountability in a way that would | | | | the ones you break? |
| give them an understanding of behavior and | | | | 3. Is there a way you could increase positive |
| consequences. I don't mean punishment, but I do | | | | accountability in your home or workplace? |