The F.B.I. May Not Understand…

The Disconnect Between Accountability & Training

The IG has spoken. Christopher Wray (FBI Director) has, too. This article is not a reaction to the politics, corruption, or other components of this issue…

But Let’s Be Clear…

Training <> Accountability

I love training. I love education. I offer it as a solution for far more things than most other people. BUT — it does not create accountability. Not directly. Barely indirectly.

Accountability comes with transparency and feedback. It is really quite simple. It comes from clarity and consequence. So far… I haven’t mentioned anything that sounds remotely like training.

If Christopher Wray Wants To Create Accountability…

Fire somebody! Or resign!

Either would create consequence. Either would send a message — in other words, feedback. But that is not what we heard — we heard a lot about training.

Training is great. I am not sure it is the appropriate solution for the FBI, but as a training cheerleader — I won’t complain too much. Except to say again:

Training <> Accountability

Training Does Not Create Accountability

Training should create better clarity. That is good. It may create an expectation of accountability… but only if it is followed by consequence. And then still, only if it details mechanisms for feedback that encourage transparency. We didn’t hear that today.

Today we heard a lot of double speak. We heard a lot about accountability. I suppose we should have expected that. But to conflate accountability with training makes me wonder if anyone at the FBI really understands what accountability is. Perhaps they merely like to say it?

Let me end with a final question (or several). If no one understands accountability at the FBI, how in the world do they deal with decision-making? Decision-making and accountability go hand in hand. Do they conflate that with training, too? Perhaps there is an independent office that does that for them, too? The Office of Professional Decision-Making?

Just asking… Thanks for reading. And learn from the FBI… at least that gives us something.