The Accountability Research Project Transitions to Collecting Quantitative Data

An exciting milestone in the Accountability Research Project has been reached. After completing nearly 200 qualitative interviews within 30+ companies, we launched the quantitative survey on August 19. This shift allows us to move from capturing personal stories to measuring these insights on a broader scale. Paul Batz and I had an in-depth conversation about this topic on the Good Leadership Podcast. You can listen to that episode here.  

Key Learnings from the Qualitative Phase

One of the most significant findings from the interviews was the difference between being accountable and being held accountable. The latter often carries a negative connotation, while the former is seen as a driver of results. Additionally, in the interviews we examined whether accountability is proactive or reactive—something we set up at the start of a project or only address when issues arise. We heard that being proactive is a start to having healthy accountability, but it goes deeper than that. At an individual level, people want to have some sense of ownership of the results of their work, and to feel supported.    

What’s Next: Quantitative Research 

The quantitative survey is now gathering data from 50-60 participants in each organization participating in the research project. The survey will also be distributed to 1,000 c-suite leaders, 1,000 managers, and 1,000 individual contributors across America to establish a constant. This will help define “healthy accountability” and explore how it manifests in different organizational contexts.  

The Good Leadership Conference

At the November 22 conference, the findings from both the qualitative and quantitative results will be revealed. With 250 participants expected, including research contributors and professional service partners, the discussion will be centered around how to translate these insights into pragmatic, actionable strategies that drive better business results.  

If you and your organization are interested in joining the conference, please contact Jill at jill@goodleadership.com to reserve your spot.