Book Review: You Can't Win the Game of Business without Accountability

Book Title and Edition: Winning with Accountability: The Secret Language of High Performing Organizations

Author: Henry J. Evans

Condensed Review/Thesis: How important is accountability? You cannot succeed without it. End of story.

Author's Background: Henry J. Evans is an entrepreneur, teacher, and author who has spent the last decade teaching organizations how to build and nurture cultures of accountability.

Intended Audience: Business leaders, owners, team leaders, managers.

Larry's Two Cents: High performance and accountability go hand-in-hand. The problem is that most organizations take an "old-school" approach: holding people accountable after things go wrong. You missed your deadline. You didn't follow-up with client X. This is punitive and counterproductive - and Evans wants you to throw it out with the trash.

Evan's "new language of accountability" is based on planning and execution. The clear, easily understood steps help you learn how to make and request "accountable commitments to achieve a competitive advantage." In other words, Evans shows you how to identify and foster accountable relationships, jettison excuses, and produce better results.

I love books that provide clear instruction; Winning with Accountability is certainly one of the best. It's not overloaded with complex theory or platitudes; instead, it's a real on-the-ground, go-and-do guide. One manager reported that he was applying the concepts he learned to his own work before he even finished the book. If you struggle with accountability - either in defining it or acting on it - Evans can help you understand and implement proven principles in your organization. Winning with Accountability is a small book with an enormous footprint. Don't delay: pick it up, read it, and get to work. Your organization will thank you.

When You Should Read This Book: Now. Everyone struggles with accountability. At least KNOW how to do it.