Accountability

Accountability is the discipline of measuring whether we are doing what we said we would do. It does not begin with rules, supervisors, or systems. It begins with ownership. It requires us to accept responsibility for outcomes, even when circumstances are unfair.

Accountability Requires Shared Sacrifice

I developed this lesson of personal accountability through my relationship with Carole. She came into my life more than two decades ago. Through regular visits and writing, we fell in love. We were married inside a prison visiting room on June 24, 2003.

Our marriage unfolded inside a system that was not designed to support families. Administrators transferred me repeatedly. Each transfer required Carole to uproot her life and relocate so that we could remain connected. She moved more than 20 times during the years we sustained our marriage through prison visiting rooms.

Accountability meant that neither of us blamed circumstances. We focused instead on what we could control. We lived according to the Straight-A Guide principles.

Lessons From a Mentor

I also learned the principle of accountability from mentors inside prison. One such mentor was Greg Reyes, the former CEO of Brocade Communications.

From Greg, I learned a difficult but valuable truth: the marketplace does not care about excuses. Leaders are judged by results. Radical accountability—accepting responsibility for outcomes regardless of context—raises performance standards.

That lesson reinforced what others had taught me. Clear goals require measurable follow-through. Accountability is how progress becomes visible.

Personal Accountability

I still rely upon this principle of personal accountability today. I keep daily logs for fitness, finances, and work. I track what I do, not what I intend. I review results regularly.

I never ask anyone to do something I am unwilling to do myself.

Accountability is not punishment. It is feedback. It tells us whether our actions align with the future we say we want.