“I call on people to be ‘obsessed citizens,’ forever questioning and asking for accountability. That’s the only chance we have today of a healthy and happy life” (Ai Wei Wei, Chinese artist) “Bake your own bread or sleep in the street” (African proverb) “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person” (Mother Teresa) Accountability is probably the most pressing leadership issue here in Rwanda. For a small growing nation that has enjoyed rapid progress and enviable success in so many areas since the Genocide against the Tutsi 25 years ago, there is a consensus that greater accountability will be one of the most important factors in sustaining and building on these gains at all levels of society. For both leaders themselves and for those whom they lead. But this is not easy to achieve as success can sometimes breed self-satisfaction, complacency, and even stasis. “Rwanda is a victim of its own success since 1994” says a Burundian entrepreneur, who preferred not to be identified in this column. She said that in her country there is no choice but to hustle, take initiative and be fully accountable for your own life and work. “People in Rwanda have it too good.” Many Rwandans, whom I have discussed this with, agree to some degree with this observation but they also often say that this lack of accountability dates back to well before the Genocide. They say it is part of Rwanda’s history. Part of its culture. Part of its deep psyche. Whatever the reason, everyone agrees that something must be done about it. “People here have not been questioned before”, says the managing director of a prominent Rwandan bank. “It is not enough to just have the responsibility of a job now. It is not enough for someone to come to work every day and not steal anything. People need to be held accountable for both process and results”. He cites an example of a loan officer who was courting a new client: “he was very proud to report that he had gone to see the customer five times but he did not get him to sign for a loan. He was not accountable because there was no outcome.” So what can leaders do in terms of greater accountability? There are four stages: 1. Self-Accountability “Accountability begins with yourself as a leader” says Patrick Gashagaza, Managing Partner at GPO Partners. “You have to role model accountability for others.” This means leaders must first develop and demonstrate a strong level of internal ethics and integrity in everything they do and then they must be seen to be getting tangible results. 2. Sowing the seeds of accountability Then leaders can focus on those around them, explaining why things need to be done a certain way and not just what to do. The banking MD talks about developing a “performance-based environment”. Patrick counsels leaders to create: “a culture of accountability. Define what it is. Build a sense of team and family.” To do this, all team members need to have passion and really enjoy what they do. Not just for the salary. “Leaders can help others elevate themselves. See their true self worth”, says the banking MD. 3. Setting expectations Leaders then need to set specific, measurable targets, in addition to standard job descriptions and roles and responsibilities. One way of doing this is by using SMART goals, which stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound. For example: by the end of February, you will complete the two site visits in Kayonza and Gisenyi; prepare and submit a detailed consolidated report of 8-12 pages on your key findings in each location and 3-5 ways that we can save at least 20% of our costs on this project by the end of June. 4. Monitoring progress and results All leaders need to follow what is happening (or not) and sometimes take bold, corrective action. President Kagame said in a recent public speech: “A leader must be brave enough to ask why things are not being done. Lacking the courage to hold people accountable is a sign of weakness … to stop bad leadership from spreading, we need leaders who have the courage to look at someone in the eye and call them out for doing something that’s wrong.” And, if necessary, the banking MD goes one step further: “If someone is not able to respond to the pressure and get results, they need to be redeployed, retrained or let go of”. Hopefully, such actions are the exception rather than the rule and a virtuous circle can be created within any department or team in which everyone is holding themselves and others accountable. In that way, Patrick believes that “everyone can love what they are doing and help others to love it too.” So, now that the new year and the new decade have begun, how will you hold yourself and others more accountable?
