Bad Guy, Good Leader? Why Accountability Defines Leadership

I was watching the Netflix special about Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys, and one of the least talked about aspects of leadership came to light.

When push comes to shove, leaders need to be the bad guy.

Jimmy Johnson’s Leadership: Accountability First

When Jimmy Johnson became head coach of the struggling Dallas Cowboys, he led with an iron fist. High expectations were set, and anyone who didn’t meet those expectations had to answer for their actions.

Johnson was enthusiastic, positive, and built strong relationships with his players. But when push came to shove, he held people accountable. He wasn’t afraid to be the bad guy.

That accountability culture led to two Super Bowl championships. Yet, Johnson’s departure left a leadership vacuum.

Barry Switzer’s Different Approach

Johnson was replaced by Barry Switzer, a legendary college coach known for caring deeply about his players and building strong relationships. Switzer inherited Johnson’s powerhouse team and even won a Super Bowl in his second year as head coach.

But after that? It was all downhill. Despite a roster many experts agree should have won several more championships, the Cowboys never returned to dominance.

Why? According to Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, Switzer failed to hold players accountable for poor performance. He didn’t want to be the bad guy.

The Burden on Troy Aikman

Aikman became frustrated. As quarterback and leader, he tried to enforce accountability, but he didn’t have the authority to bench, cut, or discipline players. He was forced into the role of “bad guy” without the power to back it up.

That’s one of the worst positions a leader can be in: responsibility without authority.

Why Leaders Must Be the “Bad Guy”

So what’s wrong with not being the bad guy? Isn’t leadership supposed to be about positive reinforcement, empathy, and kindness?

Absolutely. But accountability has to go hand-in-hand with empathy. Without it, performance erodes. Teams lose their edge. Leaders like Aikman end up carrying a burden they can’t enforce.

Holding someone accountable doesn’t always mean yelling. Sometimes it requires a calm, direct conversation. Sometimes it demands volume and urgency. Either way, it’s uncomfortable, for both the leader and the person being corrected.

But that discomfort is necessary.

Excellence requires accountability.

Practical Leadership Takeaways: How to Hold People Accountable

Accountability doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are three ways leaders can apply this lesson today:

• Set Clear Expectations Up Front
  Ambiguity kills accountability. Define what “good” looks like before the work starts, whether it’s hitting a deadline, meeting performance standards, or living up to core values.
  
• Address Issues Immediately
  Don’t wait until small lapses snowball into bigger problems. Whether you use calm language or firm intensity, address poor performance as soon as you see it.
  
• Separate the Person from the Behavior
  Holding someone accountable isn’t about attacking who they are, it’s about addressing what they did (or didn’t) do. Correct the action, not the character.
  

When leaders consistently apply these three practices, accountability becomes a cultural standard, not a one-time event.

Accountability: The Hardest, and Rarest Leadership Skill

We hear about accountability all the time. Yet, it’s one of the least executed leadership behaviors. Why? Because it’s hard. It makes people uncomfortable. It makes them angry. They may not like you.

That’s why real leaders understand:

• Accountability isn’t optional.
  
• Being the bad guy isn’t glamorous.
  
• Excellence depends on it.

The Leadership Lesson

Welcome to leadership. Welcome to excellence.

Being the bad guy is part of the job.

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Errol Doebler is a combat-proven Navy SEAL Officer turned FBI Special Agent, now an executive coach, author, and entrepreneur committed to redefining how leaders lead. His career began in one of the most unforgiving proving grounds in the world: Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, where less than 20% make it through. Errol went on to serve as a Platoon Commander at SEAL Team ONE and SEAL Team FOUR, where accountability and disciplined processes weren’t abstract concepts, they were life or death.

When his SEAL career ended abruptly due to injuries, Errol refused to let adversity define him. He pivoted into the FBI, where for more than a decade he served as a Special Agent and SWAT Operator. He led counterterrorism operations around the world, worked Violent Crimes, and ran high-stakes missions where chaos and consequence collided. His time in the FBI wasn’t without its challenges, he witnessed firsthand the cracks in leadership culture and chose to walk away rather than compromise his principles.

That decision became the seed for his next chapter. In 2016, Errol founded Ice Cold Leader, a leadership consultancy built on the belief that leadership isn’t charisma, talent, or gut instinct, it’s a repeatable process that anyone can learn. His methodology blends the uncompromising discipline of the SEALs, the investigative rigor of the FBI, and the emotional awareness leaders need in today’s world. His book, Ice Cold Leader: Leading from the Inside Out, is now trusted by executives worldwide as a framework for instilling accountability, building culture, and driving measurable performance.

Through Ice Cold Leader, Errol has coached CEOs, founders, and executive teams across industries, from tech startups to mining operations to billion-dollar enterprises. His clients consistently report transformative ROI: measurable revenue growth, stronger margins, lower turnover, and cultures where accountability thrives. At the heart of his work is a simple truth: leaders who shy away from accountability fail to unlock the excellence of their teams.

Beyond the boardroom, Errol is a husband, father, and storyteller who believes leadership starts at home. His personal journey, including struggles with trauma, recovery, and resilience, shapes the candor and authenticity he brings to every stage, every coaching call, and every keynote.

This blog is an extension of that mission: practical, hard-won lessons on leadership, accountability, and excellence, delivered without fluff, but with the conviction that true leaders do what’s uncomfortable, because that’s what excellence requires.