The "IF 16"
Leadership Attributes
Number 10: Accountability – The Will to Lose and Start Again
“And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:”
Part of risk-taking involves the potential to lose. Taking accountability when things go wrong is a critical part of leadership. The Yom Kippur War was a complete surprise to Israel, and it demonstrated fundamental intelligence and leadership failures. While Israel was ultimately victorious, the Israeli people’s confidence in their defense and intelligence capabilities was shaken. Golda Meir’s accountability demonstrated her willingness to own the failure and rebuild her nation’s confidence.
Accountability requires:
1. Admitting mistakes and accepting responsibility
2. Focusing on the problem (not the people)
3. Asking forgiveness
4. Taking action to restore confidence
5. Empowering others to resolve the issue and rebuild trust.
