Editor’s Note: Sometimes, sports mirror business. Destination Augusta reports when the Augusta Sports Council brings in a sporting event to town, it can mean millions of dollars in economic impact. Sports and business are about competition. Teams of either have to be held accountable. Dr. Rick Franza traveled from his classroom on Walton Way to South Bend, Indiana, to show how the “Fighting Irish” can help you win at your CSRA Company.
When Your Team at Work Gets Off To A Bad Start
This past weekend, I returned to my alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, to attend its home football game versus Boise State. I usually try to return to the Notre Dame (ND) campus at least once during each football season to enjoy ND’s traditions and pageantry, and to also spend time with my close friends with whom I graduated over forty years ago. When I began planning this trip early this year, I was particularly excited because ND had made it to the National Championship Game in January (which I was lucky enough to attend), which made me particularly optimistic for the 2025 season. Unfortunately, the season did not start out like I had anticipated and hoped. ND lost its first two games to the University of Miami and Texas A&M, and hopes for ND making the College Football Playoff had dampened significantly. Also, ND’s defense, which was among the nation’s best the past couple of years, was among the worst during those first two games. Many Notre Dame fans were looking for someone to blame for its early lack of success, and many were pointing at ND’s new defense coordinator, Chris Ash. Since those early losses, ND has won its last three games (including the game versus Boise State), and its defense has shown marked improved since the two losses. While some of that improvement is due to somewhat lesser quality opponents, much of it is due to better play and better coaching. However, the special ingredient that has led to ND’s improvement and success and improvement is its culture of accountability.
Responsibility vs. Accountability
Many people find it difficult to distinguish between responsibility and accountability and often use the two words interchangeably. This is because many times the difference between the two is nuanced, but extremely critical. Responsibility is the duty or obligation to complete assigned tasks, duties, or roles. Responsibility focuses on the actions or duties to be performed and can be delegated to others and/or shared with others. Accountability, on the other hand, is owning the outcome, whether good or bad. Unlike responsibility, accountability cannot be delegated or transferred. Whether it is head football coaches, like ND’s Marcus Freeman, or senior leaders in organizations like many of you, while many of their responsibilities must be delegated to others, they are ultimately accountable for the results. In Freeman’s case, he delegates offense to his offense coordinator, defense to his defense coordinator, and special teams to his special teams coach, but he is ultimately accountable for the success of each area and the overall success of the team. While Chris Ash delegates some of his coaching responsibility to his defensive position coaches and the execution of the defense to his players, he is ultimately accountable for the overall defensive performance of the team.
Own Your Shortcomings
Accountability is clearly one of the most important attributes of a leader, as it engenders both trust in the leader from his or her constituents and a culture of accountability throughout the organization. After ND’s 0-2 start, Freeman was accountable for the two losses. He owned the losses, not looking to shift blame to others, and immediately went to work on improvement. This accountability was also evident in Ash, who did not blame his players or his being in his first year with the ND football program. He took ownership of the poor defense in the first two to three games and went to work on making it better. Such accountability filters down to the position coaches and the players as well. When everyone is accountable for their own and the team’s success and failure, there is no finger-pointing, and the team works together to get better. Such a culture has led ND to three straight victories, albeit against weaker competition, and the defense has shined the last two games against two good offenses. Without accountable leadership willing to own its failures and working to improve, there is a good chance the season could have continued in a downward spiral.
Such accountability is directly transferable to your organizations and even your families to allow for individual and collective growth and success. One of my daughters, who is now in her mid-twenties, has told me that one of the best things she learned growing up was accountability. She said that at the time, being held accountable for her actions, successes, and failures was difficult, particularly when her friends were not. However, learning accountability at an early age has made her more successful and resilient in her career.
I know that I am not going to make many of you Notre Dame football fans, and that was not my intent. But I think we can learn much from Coach Marcus Freeman and the culture of accountability he has built in his program. If we can be more accountable as leaders, it is more likely that those in our organization will embrace accountability as well, stimulating individual and collective growth and success. Go Irish!
