The Buck Stops Here: Principles of Accountability

To help point the way toward a clearer model of accountability, McGee gave his version of effective tenets for accountability.

- Monitor progress: Focus on improving performance, not punishing failure.

- Use multiple tools for evaluation.

- Employ incentives for those who produce results.

- Invest in the results of accountability.

According to McGee, "Those basic tenets very seldom change, and when they do, they change very little, although our interpretation of those tenets tend to change over the years."