Benjamin Franklin

Were you to survey current dictionaries you would find that the word "accountability" is generally described as the act of accepting responsibility for one's actions & decisions.  This is a reasonable, if simple, definition, not only for each person in their individual lives but also for those who serve in leadership roles in corporations and organizations.  Personal accountability is frequently thought of in terms of how we behave ethically, morally and, in some circles, spiritually.  It is mostly concerned with the decisions we make as distinct human beings and how those decisions impact others as well as ourselves.

Corporate accountability takes the concept of personal accountability one step further.  Being accountable within an organization is identical to personal accountability when taken in its most granular form - that is to say when it is viewed purely within the context of one person's actions.  However, when one individual is also accountable for the actions of others who may report to them, the simplicity of the personal accountability context is replaced by the complexity of multiple instances of individual actions integrating with one another.  Put quite simply - corporate accountability represents responsibility for the collective actions of all those in the chain of authority within an organization.

The implication of this on those in management positions is significant.  Managers must be accountable for everything that occurs within their functional area or authority chain.  Each successive management layer must, in turn, accept the burden of accountability for the actions of everyone under their area of responsibility.  This means that those who sit at the very highest levels in an organization have accountability "exposure" for everything that occurs below them (within their defined chain of command). 

When someone becomes a manager for the first time, it is not uncommon for them to be unaware of the true enormity of their new assignment.  Beyond the operational aspects of their new position, these new leaders have accepted, often without realizing it, total responsibility for everything that happens in their department, regardless of the cause or circumstances.  That last point is critical: too often new managers fail to understand that it is no longer acceptable for them to try to deflect blame onto others for the mistakes that are made within their functional area.  Accountability for the new manager is identical to that which governs senior, more experienced leaders.  A manager is accountable for everything that goes on within their functional area, even those things which the manager may feel is out of their direct control.  Before they assumed their leadership role, the new manager may very well have been able to avoid responsibility and/or blame for the actions, good or bad, of their peers.  What these new supervisors must accept immediately is that defensive claims of "It's not my job, man!" have become a relic of their employment past.  As of their first day in their new position, they are on the proverbial hot seat for a seemingly endless realm of possible problems.  Often, brand new managers will be given some margin for error in the earliest days of their tenure, as they "come up to speed" with the new position they occupy.  This won't last very long, however, before those accountable for the actions of the new manager begin to demand more of them.

In practical terms, accountability means that the new manager must accept whatever consequences result from the actions of those who report to them through the chain of command.  In minor issues this may take the form of a rebuke or even a written warning by their immediate supervisor.  In major issues being accountable can potentially result in the manager actually losing his/her job.  Accountability is not, therefore, a throwaway concept that new managers can blithely dismiss.

Smart Office Design: The Eighth Lesson is Green

By Paul Rosenblatt AIA

When The Harvard Business School speaks, people listen.

A few years ago, Harvard Business School Press published "Thinking for a Living: How to Get Better Performance and Results from Knowledge Workers" by Thomas Davenport (Harvard Business School Press, 2005). In this highly readable book, Davenport discusses the results of his extensive study of job performance. As an architect who designs workplaces, I was particularly interested in the seven lessons that the author learned about the affect of the physical work environment on job performance.

According to Davenport, we know that:

1. Knowledge workers prefer closed offices, but seem to communicate better in open

ones.

2. Knowledge workers move around in the course of their work.

3. Knowledge workers collaborate.

4. Knowledge workers concentrate.

5. Knowledge workers work in the office.

6. Knowledge workers communicate with people who are close by.

7. Knowledge workers don't care about facilities 'gewgews" like ping-pong tables and

cappuccino machines.

Of course, Davenport goes into much more detail, but the bottom line is that these factors have

design implications that must be addressed. From the layout of desks and workstations, to the

spaces 'in-between,' Davenport demonstrates that decisions managers make about their physical work environments will have a significant impact on the performance of their teams. Like the old saying goes, Prior Planning Prevents Poor Production! Accordingly, it is essential for managers to work with design professionals to understand the dynamics of their individual companies and to reorganize or renovate to increase productivity.

In addition to Davenport's seven lessons, I would add one more. It has long been known that too much time spent in unnatural office environments is bad for us. Many people call in sick from illnesses caused by the workplace itself. Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) has, for instance, been clinically proven to exist; in fact, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers an online publication that addresses indoor air quality (IAQ) facts related to SBS. They note that a staggering 30% of all new and remodeled office buildings are the subject of IAQ complaints. People with SBS complain of coughs, chest tightness, fevers, and muscle aches and, as a result, countless productive workdays are lost. Factors such as inadequate ventilation, chemical contaminants from indoor and outdoor sources and biological contaminants all contribute to SBS.

The good news is that SBS can cured!

The best cure for SBS is building green. 'Green Building' is the term that describes a whole set of building and renovation strategies that can help to make your workplace healthier and more

productive. Increasing daylight and natural ventilation, using paints that have low VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and working with water-based adhesives and solvents are some of the ingredients of a green building approach. Not only will the workplace be physically healthier, bringing in nature has been shown to have measurable psychological benefits, as well, that translate directly into greater workplace productivity.

Even workplaces that don't suffer from full-blown cases of SBS can benefit from building green.

With energy costs skyrocketing, business owners are looking for new ways to reduce their

electricity consumption. Converting lighting systems to high efficiency fluorescents reduce power costs; in fact, by increasing the amount of natural daylight in the workplace, daytime use of artificial lights can often be eliminated entirely.

In his book, Thomas Davenport notes that there is lot said about the topic of knowledge worker

performance, but not much actually known. As a result of his study, he says he now knows that the introduction of new or renovated workspaces is often the catalyst for new ways of working. More than simply faddish decoration, what might be called 'Smart Office Design' has a measurable positive impact on productivity. Well-designed smart offices - ones that consider the eight factors noted above - are healthier to work in, more economical to run, encourage more interaction, attract top candidates to want to work there, and help to promote a more collaborative business culture in general. Companies with poorly designed workplaces - ones that are not addressing these eight lessons - are simply not reaching their maximum potential.

Paul Rosenblatt AIA is the Principal of SPRINGBOARD Architecture Communication Design LLC, a full-service architecture and planning firm that can help make your company's workplace smarter.

He can reached by email at paul@springboarddesign.net or by phone at 412 390 4040.