Amid all the talk about how to bolster confidence in corporate America comes this personal testimony to the power of a workplace culture that encourages and nurtures the principles of integrity, accountability and trust. With plenty of practical advice on how these key values contribute positively to planning, communication, leadership, conflict resolution, and risk-taking, The Accountable Organization lays out what it will take to build a collective employee spirit that can drive an organization to be both principled and profitable. John Marchica's personal story, interviews with dozens of other CEOs, and an in-depth profile of Southwest Airlines - the consummate Accountable Organization - offer practical and actionable strategies, guidelines, and tools to help anyone with the desire to influence change in organizations move from purpose to action. The Accountable Organization shows how to identify an organization's values and purpose, integrate them into a strategic plan, and develop a focused roadmap for execution that provides clarity, defines performance standards, and a common frame of reference for individual and organizational accountability. Marchica also focuses in on the various ways that CEOs specifically can demonstrate accountability through the many roles they play - as Motivator, Visionary, Risk-Taker, Communicator, and Sage - and details the systems and processes required to improve decision making and execution, lower turnover, and achieve customer loyalty and retention.