Are you above the line or below the line? There’s a great book called The Oz Principle. In it, the authors explain that leaders are either above the line or below the line. When there is a failure, leaders who are below the line play the victim and point to other people or the circumstances as the cause of the failure. Leaders who are above the line never play the victim. When there’s a failure, they point to themselves. They own it!
The Oz Principle offers a simple model for accountability:
- See it
- Own it!
- Solve it
- Do it.
To stay above the line you must first (1) recognize the problem. Then you have to (2) own it. You have to declare what you did or didn’t do that caused the problem. Next, (3) create a solution. And finally, (4) implement the solution.
Remember, when the team succeeds, leaders look out the window and give credit to all the people that made it happen. When there is a failure, leaders look in the mirror. They own it!
At PeopleCore, we collaborate with our clients to provide practical, innovative solutions, that equip leaders with the mindset, skillset, and toolset to improve individual and organizational performance and ensure safe, reliable, environmentally sound operations. We help leaders get results by enhancing their personal leadership skills, increasing their interpersonal influence, and equipping them to direct, align, and enable those they lead so they execute on organizational objectives. Please see our Organization Leadership Services page for more information.
