It’s the season of high profile resignations in the wake of the News of the World phone hacking scandal – but are such resignations a sign that the individuals concerned are being held (or holding themselves) accountable?
Rebekah Brooks was amongst the first to go (though, in the view of some, not before time) when she stood down from her role as Chief Executive of News International. Sir Paul Stephenson followed just days after, resigning from his role as Metropolitan Police Commissioner. Sir Paul’s resignation was followed just one day later by the resignation of his direct report, John Yates. In public life, such resignations are not uncommon. Big news stories are often accompanied by cries of some modern equivalent of “off with his head”. A waiting game ensues. Can I hold on to my job or is it time for me to go? When the head rolls some appetite is satisfied and still, I wonder if such resignations really equate to the true execution of accountability.
One of the reasons I hold this doubt is because such big name resignations can lead us to imagine that failure is a “one problem, one person” affair. So often it isn’t. Andy Coulson’s resignation in January of this year from the role of Director of Communications to the Prime Minister happened not because he had done something inappropriate in his new role. Rather, it followed a long chain of events, including stories of phone hacking under Coulson’s watch at News of the World and David Cameron’s appointment of Coulson in the first place, despite pressure not to. Coulson’s resignation had the appearance of accountability whilst also appearing to let others off the hook (at least for the time being) whose actions were also questionable.
Another reason why I question whether such resignations equate to the true execution of accountability is because they are rarely accompanied by a full investigation of the facts. Without this, there is no getting to the root of – and addressing – the problem. Coulson’s resignation from News of the World, for example, stemmed the pressure – at least temporarily – for a full investigation into phone hacking at the News of the World. The decision not to investigate more fully looks extremely naive today – and possibly even then. It’s also interesting to wonder if, in the wake of Coulson’s resignation from the post of Director of Communications to the Prime Minister, David Cameron got off rather lightly. As long as there is no investigation of the facts, the problem lies dormant and unsolved.
Are Britain’s businesses any different? I confess that as I ask myself this question I notice many times from my life as a consultant in which there was quiet collusion in ongoing problems in business. There may be quiet complaints about the failure of senior management to address a problem (even quiet complaints by senior managers) and yet it is a brave man or woman who speaks up. (As I write this I am acutely aware of the death this week of Sean Hoare, who broke the story of phone hacking at News of the World). Perhaps it is for this reason that the phrase the fish rots from the head has become such common parlance in business.
True accountability involves many things. It involves creating clear agreements up front about who will do what and by when. It involves knowing up front how you will check in on progress and how you will address any problems as they arise. It involves following through to find out when things are on and off track. So far, so good. Crucially, it involves having the courage to hold conversations that are testing for everyone involved when things go wrong and holding them in the awareness that everyone involved in the conversation may in some way be found to have failed. Creating the environment in which such conversations are possible requires skill and determination.
Even as I write I recognise that there is so much more to be said on this topic. For now though, I wonder, what is your experience of accountability? And what challenges do you face in holding yourself – and others – accountable?