One throat to choke.

“One throat to choke.”? Not a very genteel phrase and one I never liked but its worked its way into the halls of business a few years ago.? In place of that phrase, others may say “one hand to shake.” ?Regardless of your preferred phrase, the meaning is the same: there needs to be a single person, colleague or vendor to hold accountable.

Teddy Roosevelt was a member of the New York City Board of Police Commissioners, and he used his role on the board to create significant reform. The board was a good idea for Teddy until it wasn’t.? Teddy disbanded the board in favor of a lone police commissioner when he became governor. One throat to choke, indeed.

There are those who seek leadership titles and then there are those that lead. The ones seeking titles look to minimize personal risk, look good and survive. They use the phrase often to deflect and assign blame, not take accountability. The ones that lead do just that…lead…because that’s who they are. They have vision, courage, decisiveness. They use the phrase to hold themselves accountable.

It's so important to create teamwork, collaboration, consensus before taking a leap forward on big decisions. But this isn't always possible or practical. Sometimes (maybe often), it takes someone to take the reins, accept the risk, make a decision, be accountable and inspire others to follow. Don't be afraid to be that person who takes the reins.