With all due respect to the board

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to offer a reflection on what evidence might be persuasive, powerful, and influential in decision making. Design/methodology/approach Fictional poem. Findings Meditation on the way that we decide what to do, account for it, be responsible for it to others, and be accountable to them. Research limitations/implications Stimulates thought about how organisations construct an agreed set of terms and language for measuring progress and organising accountability. Originality/value An individual comment on assessing what language is appropriate for building organisations.