Advertisement
Five Basic Responses That Will Improve Accountability – Guaranteed
Get articles like this
in your inbox
The longest running and most trusted source of information serving talent acquisition professionals.
Advertisement
Related Articles
It crossed my mind once or twice that my life would be much improved if I’d simply take a vow of silence.
In fact, I once said to a good friend, “I think I’m going to take a vow of silence. I’ll only speak when spoken to and avoid offering any opinion, suggestion, or comment.”
“You’re crazy,” my friend snorted disdainfully.
She continued. “I mean, I think you would get in less trouble if you stopped talking. But you’ll never be able to pull it off.”
My good friend was also wise. My word diet failed.
That was 10 years ago.
So imagine my delight when I read How the 5 Basic Responses’ Can Improve Accountability in Your Company in the Philadelphia Business Journal.
“Whoa!” I thought. “Maybe I’ve finally found the answer to all my problems! If I can train myself to give five basic responses, no matter who’s asking what, who knows how my life could change!”
I wasn’t that interested in the accountability part — I just wanted to learn five pat answers to any question so I could stop getting in trouble.
The author of the article, Ingar Grev, is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and holds an MS and MBA from the University of Maryland. The five responses are culled from his Navy days, and they are:
Grev’s premise is that these brief responses can increase accountability in organizations because they’re simple, direct, clear, and demand the speaker’ownership.
I like these answers as a defense against crazy-making bosses and co-workers who say nutso things and then stare at you waiting for a reaction. (I hate that.)
But I’m thinking these could work as intended, too, because answering:
… also prevents the need for conversation that start with:
“See, what had happened was …” or “Well …” or “I don’t know. What do you think?”
That’s all. Cut the crap and cut the angst.
I’m going to try it.