Hold Employees Accountable With 'The Oz Principle'

After reading “The Oz Principle,” by Roger Connors, Tom Smith and Craig Hickman, I wondered how much time I had wasted managing my company “below the line” and how much money this had cost me. Then, I decided to do something about it.

I brought in consultants to “teach” accountability to my staff — to teach “The Oz Principle.” As I sat in our training center with 40 of our top leaders in an all-day seminar led by Partners In Leadership, I wondered just how much money we had lost through a culture of poor accountability, blaming others, “being a victim” and managing like an ostrich — putting our heads in the sand and hoping the problem fixed itself.

The main concept of “The Oz Principle” follows Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Woodsman and the Scarecrow on their journey down the yellow brick road to see the Wizard of Oz. They wrongfully believe that Oz will have all the answers and be able to solve their problems.

Their journey first teaches them that they always had the answers to their problems located internally. Second, and more importantly, they learn a system of accountability.
 
They learn to muster the courage of the Lion, be honest about the problem and “See It.” They find the heart of the Tin Woodsman by “Owning It,” accepting responsibility for the problem. They obtain the wisdom of the Scarecrow in order to “Solve It.” And, in the end, they learn to be Dorothy and exercise the means to “Do It.”

By creating a culture of accountability, this group of unrelated individuals is able to meet its goals and objectives.

After reading “The Oz Principle,” I felt so strongly about See It, Own It, Solve It and Do It that I suggested to the Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI) leadership that the upcoming Executive Management Conference feature a seminar on the subject. Those attending the event in May will be able to learn how to create a culture of accountability for their business.

Paul Greenland
President
Aetna Integrated Services
Columbus, Ohio

“The Oz Principle,” published by Portfolio, uses “The Wizard of Oz” as a business metaphor to demonstrate to readers how they can move step-by-step toward increased accountability.

Written by bestselling authors Roger Connors, Tom Smith and Craig Hickman, “The Oz Principle” has sold more than a half-million copies since it was originally published in 1994. It has been rated as the No. 1 Leadership Book by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly.

Connors and Smith are cofounders of the management consulting firm Partners In Leadership. They are also coauthors of “Journey to the Emerald City,” a sequel to “The Oz Principle.”