Fix It

have you ever watched a crucial company initiative grind slowly to a halt? where meetings feel like groundhog day, with the same issues surfacing but no one stepping up to solve them?

step into many workplaces today, and you’ll find a troubling reality: out-of-touch management, unmotivated teams, and a pervasive culture of finger-pointing. in such an environment, even the most talented individuals can struggle to perform.

so, what sets high-performing organizations apart? it isn't about strategy or more resources – it's how people take ownership of outcomes. it’s about accountability. 

in this chapter, we’ll explore how to have those difficult, game-changing conversations most people shy away from, how to gain true commitment (not just compliance), and how to turn seemingly impossible obstacles into breakthrough opportunities.

shifting from a culture of blame to one of accountability isn’t easy, but it’s the defining factor between an organization that merely survives and one that truly thrives.

ready to learn how to make that shift? then let’s dive in.

imagine walking into a workplace where seven out of ten employees have mentally checked out. unfortunately, this isn’t a fictional scenario – that's today's reality according to data collected by the authors. organizations across industries are facing a growing crisis in accountability, and this isn’t just a minor management issue. it’s a systemic breakdown that undermines project execution, strategic alignment, and employee morale at every level.

the effects of this disengagement are striking. nearly a quarter of workers describe their workplaces as dictatorial, while only half report having bosses who treat them well or coworkers who feel motivated. addressing accountability represents the clearest opportunity for optimizing business performance over the next decade. 

but what exactly do we mean by accountability? and how do we encourage it?

according to the authors, workplace behavior takes place at two levels: “above the line” and “below the line”. above the line behaviors are about taking responsibility – and consist of four steps: see it, own it, solve it, do it. these steps are about seeing reality clearly, taking ownership of situations, proactively looking for solutions, and following through with action. below the line behavior, on the other hand, reflects avoidance and blame. it includes behaviors like denying reality, waiting passively for direction, pointing the finger at others, and waiting for them to take responsibility. it’s a victim mentality that paralyzes progress.

true accountability isn’t about assigning blame or punishing mistakes. it’s about making a personal choice to take responsibility for outcomes and rise above challenges. fix it describes 16 practices that promote accountability. while we can’t explore them all here, we’ll dive into five of the most impactful behaviors – and how you can cultivate them to transform your workplace.

have you ever noticed how people talk differently when you're sitting next to them versus across from them? this subtle shift in perspective and proximity creates an environment that encourages open and honest communication. sitting side by side breaks down the formal barriers often present in across-the-desk interactions, fostering a sense of collaboration and trust. for instance, sharing a meeting booth on a call or plugging into the same headset to field a customer service interaction can transform traditional, desk-bound exchanges into more candid and productive discussions.

building accountability within a team or organization often starts with immersing yourself in the perspectives of others – not from a distance, but by stepping into their world.

if you’re a leader, understanding other people's perspectives might mean getting your hands dirty. this is about finding out what's really going on within your organization. when you sit in your office getting data filtered through reports and formal meetings, you're missing the real story. you need to know not just what people think, but why they think it. 

how does this translate into real-world practice? consider these examples: a utility company president joins his linemen in bucket trucks to experience their work firsthand; a sony executive swaps conference rooms for walking meetings to foster more dynamic discussions; and a regional mcdonald's manager dons a uniform and works the counter to better understand the daily challenges of frontline employees.

conversations are different when you step into someone else's world. direct exposure provides insights that no amount of reporting or second-hand information can replicate. something shifts when you're side by side instead of across a desk. 

physical context matters. think about that bucket truck conversation a hundred feet in the air. in this context, the script changes – formal barriers drop away. suddenly you're having a real conversation about what's working and what isn't. or consider what happens when you plug in a second headset and listen to customer service calls. you're not just hearing what your team deals with – you're feeling it. 

the most meaningful conversations in business rarely happen in the boardroom. your employees have a story to tell, but they’re unlikely to share it in your office. get out there, meet them on their turf, and watch as accountability begins to grow organically through shared understanding.

here's a paradox: the more someone needs to hear something, the less likely anyone is to say it. nobody likes delivering bad news. and nobody likes hearing it. but this fear of difficult conversations creates a massive blind spot within organizations. in this environment, problems fester and opportunities are missed. 

how does this happen? we dance around issues, soften our language, and hope problems will somehow resolve themselves. even leaders who pride themselves on directness often create environments where real feedback gets buried under politeness or fear. they might think they're open to criticism, but their quick defensive reactions or tendency to pull rank sends a clear message: keep the hard truths to yourself.

so how do we say the hard things? how do we give challenging feedback to colleagues or reports who need to hear it? start by asking permission. a simple "can i share an observation?" can help change the whole dynamic of a conversation from ambush to collaboration. 

second, frame your feedback briefly with context, then get straight to the point. no sugarcoating, no meandering through small talk. if you need to tell someone their presentation style is undermining their message, don't spend ten minutes praising their powerpoint skills first. stay laser-focused on the core message. 

you're not there to make them feel better, you're there to help them understand something important. the key is to do it with empathy. you are their ally in facing the truth, not their prosecutor. 

what about receiving honest feedback yourself?

one effective approach is using “if you were me” questions. instead of asking vague, sanitized questions like, "what concerns do you have?" try reframing them: "if you were me, what deadlines would worry you?" or "if you were me, what would you be doing differently?" this method lowers defensiveness by shifting the perspective. suddenly they're not criticizing or complaining – they're helping solve your problems. and people feel safer sharing hard truths when they're framed as helpful insights – rather than criticism.

why do some teams consistently outperform others, even when they have the same resources and talent? it’s not about having a better script or playbook. it’s about how much people care about getting it right. watch a great salesperson handle a tough customer – it’s their investment, not their tools, that makes the difference.

broadly speaking, there are two types of workers. the first type does exactly what they're told; no more, no less. the second type takes ownership. they spot problems before they happen. they come up with better ways to accomplish goals. and they care about the outcome as if it were their own business. the difference in these two types of workers isn't skill or experience – it's investment. 

employees who are truly invested leave their mark everywhere – not to claim credit, but because they can't help but make things better. they're the ones asking "what if we tried it this other way?" when everyone else is satisfied with "good enough."

so how do you cultivate this level of investment? first, forget the old school tactics – threats, micromanagement, or fancy office perks. none of that builds real commitment. instead, help people understand why their work matters. when a warehouse worker understands how their speed affects customer satisfaction, or when a customer service rep sees how their patience builds long-term loyalty – that's when they start caring about outcomes, not just tasks. 

smart leaders demonstrate this themselves. that's why you see a ceo answering phones at the front desk every other wednesday, or a medical director working alongside nurses in the emergency room. they're showing that every job matters, every day. some executives interview themselves on their drive home, asking tough questions about where they fell short of their own standards that day. and this attitude spreads; when people see their boss rolling up their sleeves, they're more likely to take pride in their own work.

when personal investment becomes part of your culture, excellence isn't just a goal – it's a natural outcome of how people approach their work every day.

does this sound familiar? someone offers you a suggestion about your work, and before they've even finished speaking, you’re mentally composing your defense.

this knee-jerk reaction to justify ourselves isn’t just a personal habit – it’s a nearly universal human instinct. unfortunately, it’s also one that costs organizations millions. in today’s fast-paced world, the ability to embrace and act on feedback can make or break an organization’s success.

most of us instinctively believe we're good at handling feedback, but the research shows otherwise. a medical device company discovered this when they tracked how managers responded to employee suggestions over a six month period. the managers who claimed to be "very open to feedback" were actually implementing fewer than 10% of viable suggestions. however, when these managers shifted their mindset from “is this criticism valid?” to “what’s one thing i could act on here?”, implementation rates skyrocketed, quadrupling within months.

the most effective feedback processors treat important input like emergency room doctors handle patients: listen, examine, act – in that order, and without delay. when a major retail chain adopted this approach, they found that managers who responded to feedback within 48 hours saw significantly higher team performance than those who waited a week or more. ultimately, speed of response mattered more than the actual changes implemented. 

companies that see the best results create structured ways to capture and track feedback. some use digital portals where employees can submit ideas. others opt for more visible approaches – like a manufacturing plant that installed a massive feedback wall in their cafeteria, complete with color-coded cards showing which suggestions were being implemented and their current status. these public displays of feedback in action transform company culture by making follow-through visible and expected. 

too many organizations treat feedback like a one-way street, never circling back to confirm whether changes addressed the original concern. furthermore, they fail to follow up with people whose suggestions weren't implemented. one tech company solved this by requiring managers to have brief "closure conversations" with anyone whose feedback wasn't used, explaining why it wasn’t and encouraging future input. within a year, the company saw both the quantity and quality of employee suggestions increase dramatically.

what do you do when you can’t solve a problem? when charles dickens hit a creative wall, he would abandon his desk. he’d leave his home and walk for hours into the night, wandering london's gaslit streets until inspiration struck again. this ritual, seemingly counterintuitive for a man facing pressing deadlines and publisher demands, produced some of literature's most enduring works. dickens had stumbled upon a fundamental truth about creative problem-solving: sometimes, the path forward requires a sidestep or a strategic retreat.

a paradox lies at the heart of effective problem-solving – obstacles demand innovative solutions, but they also can stifle the very creativity we need to overcome them. why? because the mind, when confronted with a challenge, often responds by bearing down harder, focusing more intensely. yet this very intensity can become a trap, narrowing our field of vision precisely when we need to broaden it. the most successful problem-solvers have learned to master this cognitive tension, developing a subtle dance between concentrated effort and strategic disengagement. 

consider the case of almon strowger, the 19th-century undertaker who discovered that the local telephone operator – a woman married to his competitor – was redirecting all burial service calls to her husband's business. rather than accepting this seemingly insurmountable obstacle, what did strowger do? he invented the automatic telephone exchange, revolutionizing telecommunications. this perfectly illustrates a crucial distinction in how people approach obstacles: some see immovable barriers, while others perceive parameters to work within, challenges that spark innovation rather than inspire resignation. 

this mindset shift can be transformative. research reveals that approximately half of all individuals view obstacles as external constraints beyond their control, leading to a kind of learned helplessness. the other half maintain their sense of agency despite acknowledging external limitations, viewing constraints as the very conditions that make creativity not just possible, but necessary. so how will you perceive your next obstacle? as a recipe for defeat, or an opportunity for innovation?

successful people establish regular periods for focused problem-solving while remaining open to unexpected insights. they create deliberate spaces for creativity – whether through scheduled reflection times, physical movement, or environmental changes – all while maintaining the flexibility to respond to emerging challenges. like dickens with his walks, they recognize that creativity often flourishes in the spaces between concentrated effort. the most effective problem-solvers don't just overcome obstacles; they transform them into opportunities for creating something entirely new.

the main takeaway of this chapter to fix it by roger connors and tom smith is that transforming workplace performance starts with moving from 'below the line' blame behaviors to 'above the line' ownership. 

through specific practices like immersing yourself in others' perspectives, having honest conversations, showing deep personal investment, acting on feedback, and creatively tackling obstacles, anyone can help build a culture of true accountability. these are fundamental behaviors that transform how work gets done, turning disengaged teams into high-performing organizations where employees take ownership of outcomes and drive results. in other words, ditch the blame game, and build a team that thrives.

okay, that's it for this chapter. we hope you enjoyed it. if you can, please take the time to leave us a rating – we always appreciate your feedback. see you in the next chapter.