| In The Oz Principle, Connors, Smith, and | | | | Though majority of the people found in this |
| Hickman brilliantly use the analogy of "The | | | | dimension are weak in accountability, this |
| Wizard of Oz" to discuss a business | | | | does not mean that very accountable |
| philosophy aimed in propelling individuals | | | | individuals are exempt from falling Below The |
| and organizations to overcome unfavorable | | | | Line. They, too, slip every now and then. The |
| circumstances and achieve desired results. | | | | only difference is that they know how to get |
| This philosophy can be encompassed in one | | | | out of the rut. |
| word: ACCOUNTABILITY. | | | | |
| | | | A Simple Solution to Victimization |
| The eponymous principle builds upon the ethos | | | | |
| of personal and organizational | | | | Individuals and organizations Below The Line |
| accountability. It explores the root cause of | | | | languish in self-pity until they get |
| an organization's impediments to exceptional | | | | trapped in the "I Am a Victim" mind-set and |
| performance and productivity, and provides | | | | find it hard to break free from the vicious |
| great insight on how to re-establish a | | | | cycle. Accountability offers a very simple |
| business from the bottom up, emphasizing on | | | | choice to make, albeit a difficult one to act |
| the thin line that separates success from | | | | upon: "You can either get stuck or get |
| failure. The Above The Line, Below The Line | | | | results." So stark in its simplicity that |
| methodology is the driving force behind The | | | | most people fail to realize that the ball has |
| Oz Principle. | | | | always been in their court. |
| | | | |
| The Oz Principle: Getting Results through | | | | The Power of Individual Accountability: |
| Accountability | | | | Moving Yourself Above The Line |
| | | | |
| Just like Dorothy's search for the Wizard of | | | | The first step to accountability is |
| Oz for enlightenment, individuals and | | | | recognizing the problem. It takes great |
| organizations also seek out the wizard that | | | | courage to admit that you are stuck in a |
| will save them from the maladies that afflict | | | | difficult situation. Most people, however, |
| their workplace. However, the wizard is just | | | | fail to view reality the way it is because |
| a distraction, bearing new-fangled business | | | | they choose to ignore it or they accept the |
| philosophies and management fads that will | | | | situation as the status quo and go along |
| only create a layer atop the ugly truth that | | | | with it. |
| needs to be revealed. When the core problem | | | | |
| is not addressed, the ills will eventually | | | | To commence the march up the Steps to |
| resurface and the business is back to its | | | | Accountability, you must first muster the |
| sorry state. | | | | courage to: a) recognize when you fall Below |
| | | | The Line; b) realize that remaining Below The |
| Victim Thinking or Failed Accountability | | | | Line not only ignores the real problem but |
| | | | leads to increasingly poor results; and c) |
| When a company suffers from poor performance | | | | acknowledge and accept reality as the first |
| or unsatisfactory results, individuals from | | | | step toward taking accountability. |
| top management all the way to the front line | | | | |
| begin finger-pointing, forming excuses, | | | | Mustering the courage to See It will lead to |
| rationalizing, and justifying, instead of | | | | the next step, Owning It. Here, you must |
| doing something to alleviate the situation. | | | | have the heart to own the circumstances |
| They foolishly profess that the circumstances | | | | you've recognized in the See It step as well |
| have made victims of them, that the events | | | | as the results that will come from the |
| are completely out of their control, and that | | | | course of action you plan to take. |
| they shouldn't be blamed for the company's | | | | |
| current problems. It's always something or | | | | "What else can I do to rise above my |
| someone else, never themselves. | | | | circumstances and achieve the results I |
| | | | want?" That is the question to continually |
| Above The Line, Below The Line | | | | ask yourself when you find yourself stuck in |
| | | | a stubborn situation. Apart from creating |
| A thin line separates failure and success, | | | | solutions, Solving It also involves foresight |
| greatness and mediocrity. | | | | in determining the worst possible scenario |
| | | | that can happen, and being prepared to battle |
| Above The Line, you'll find the Steps to | | | | it head on. |
| Accountability which include in chronological | | | | |
| order: See It, Own It, Solve It, and Do It. | | | | Having solutions is not enough if you neglect |
| The first step, See It, means acknowledging | | | | practical application. You can't Do It |
| the problem; to Own It is to assume | | | | unless you make yourself accountable not |
| responsibility for the problem and the | | | | only for immediate circumstances but also for |
| results; Solve It means to formulate | | | | future accomplishment. With this, you are |
| solutions to remedy the situation; and, as a | | | | empowering not only yourself but also your |
| culminating step, Do It commands the | | | | organization. |
| practical application of the solutions | | | | |
| identified. | | | | It's so easy to be pulled back Below The |
| | | | Line, especially if you don't accept full |
| Below The Line is where the self-professed | | | | accountability for the situation and the |
| victims play | | | | future. A lot people are afraid to become |
| | | | accountable because they fear the risks |
| The Blame Game. Here, crippling attitudes | | | | associated with it. However, know that |
| such as Wait and See, Confusion/Tell Me What | | | | without taking the big leap, you will never |
| To Do, It's Not My Job, Ignore/Deny, Finger | | | | get anywhere. |
| Pointing, and Cover Your Tail are rampant. | | | | |