The Accountability Factor

Few topics are talked about more than accountability.  Members of the C-Suite demand it.  It’s a buzz word for human resources professionals.  Outside consultants advise business clients they don’t have enough of it.  If employees aren’t getting the job done, they need to be held accountable–fired.   Although businesses say they can run circles around the government when it comes to good management principles, it’s the government that has recently provided one of the best examples of what it means to hold people accountable.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has fired the Air Force’s senior civilian official and its highest-ranking general.  Never before has a Secretary of Defense terminated the top civilian and top military official of a military service branch simultaneoulsy.  This action related specifically to the Air Force’s mistaken shipment of four nuclear warhead parts instead of helicopter batteries to Taiwan.  According to Secretary Gates, “mistakes are not acceptable” when shipping nuclear parts.

Previous Air Force missteps made the Taiwan mistake more troubling.  Last year, a B-52 bomber inadvertently flew across the U.S. carrying six armed nuclear cruise missiles.  The flying stunt team, the Thunderbirds, had been mired in an investigation of an air show contract that went to a company owned by a retired four-star general and a friend of senior Air Force leaders.

Gates’ demand for accountability hasn’t been limited to the Air Force.  Last year, he fired the two-star general in charge of Walter Reed Army Medial Center because of shoddy conditions at the hospital and problems caring for wounded outpatient soldiers.  He also fired the Secretary of the Army for failing to properly supervise the two-star general.  Last year, Gates also decided not to recommend the reappointment of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs or the commander of American forces in the Middle East because of their close association with early military policy in Iraq.

Gates has only been on the job 18 months.  In that short period of time, he has defined accountability.  When he learned of possible problems, he took them seriously, even though they involved top brass.  He ordered investigations.  Once he had his ducks in a row, he acted accordingly.  He didn’t look for accountability scapegoats; he looked for accountability where its should be:  at the top.  His decisions haven’t been based on a general’s stars or an official’s title.  They have been based on performance.

What is most impressive is that Gates didn’t wait for disaster before taking action as many C-Suite types do (the sub-prime mortgage debacle comes to mind).  He took action to avoid disaster if the “lack of effective leadership oversight” continued and if the organization didn’t become “sufficiently critical of its past performance” and if “structural, procedural and cultural problems” weren’t fixed.  And he didn’t only fire the employee who seemed closest to the mess.  He fired the employee and his boss.  Secretary Gates knows what he’s doing, and he’s teaching some lessons that all employers need to learn.

1. 

   Magge says:

   June 13, 2008 at 9:43 am

   I just wish the Pope had held priests and bishops accountable just like Gates has held the top brass. We would not have archdioceses filing for bankrupcy if the Catholic Church held its people accountable.

   Hurray to Gates for stepping up, facing the problems and taking action. Too bad some of these generals won’t lose their big pensions over some of these shinanigans.
2. 

   John Phillips says:

   June 13, 2008 at 2:43 pm

   Thanks for weighing in. It’s unfortunate that people in charge generally don’t bite the bullet like Gates did. I’m not sure how the pension thing works in the military, but I think you’re right about these generals being able to keep their pensions. Of course, in the private sector, once a pension has vested, I’m not sure that anything can be done about that either. Thanks again for your comment.
3. 

   John Phillips says:

   June 14, 2008 at 8:24 am

   Thanks for including this post in your carnival.