Page 172 - Fearless Leadership

Standing for the Success of Each Other 159

the imperceptible statements their behaviors make that broadcast the mes-
sage they do not support a colleague or a corporate initiative.
The rub is that you cannot form committed partnerships until you clean
the slate and take accountability for how you have conspired against each
other. Even then, you must continually be on the lookout for how your
behavior may communicate a lack of support or alignment. Always remem-
ber: you are accountable for the perception you create and the impact you
have. Your job as a committed partner is twofold:

1. Intervene and stop yourself when you are conspiring against
others whether through silent or active participation.
2. Intervene and stop others when they are conspiring against a
person or group.

Nothing is gained by judging behavior as good or bad; instead, think
of behavior as effective or ineffective. In this way you can be more forgiv-
ing of your mistakes as well as those of others.
But before we go further, we must recognize that this is yet another
area in which we have it backward: we judge others by their behavior
but expect them to judge us by our intention. As a fearless leader, you
must operate with a new standard: you must give others the benefit of
the doubt by listening for their positive intention and be accountable
for your impact without defending and justifying your intention. This
may seem completely unfair but it is totally necessary to meet the
conditions of 100%-zero accountability. It is a difficult concept to
grasp because it requires that you give up the belief that others should
automatically understand your intention. You must stop explaining
what you really meant to do or say and take accountability for how
others experienced your behavior. What may appear “unfair” is that
you are being asked to do it all: take full accountability for your impact
and listen with positive intention to others. This is what the “zero”
means in 100%-zero accountability: you must completely own the prob-
lem or breakdown without blaming others or expecting them to take
accountability. When you take 100%-zero accountability you hold
yourself to a higher standard. You focus on your behavior, not the
behavior of others. It is your high behavioral standard that inspires and