Responsibility: Ownership Over Outcomes

Responsibility: The ability to respond.  Are you more inclined to react to things or respond to them?  We associate responsibility with being reliable or dependable, but at the core, it has a lot to do with emotional intelligence and our capacity to take ownership over outcomes.  

Responsibility corresponds with the sixth value of I.N.T.E.G.R.8.T.E.D. and is important because society has been trending away from taking responsibility for things.  Actually, I have been failing to take responsibility for things and taking responsibility starts with me!

We find it easier to blame others for our actions, lack in judgement or difficult circumstances.  Lawsuits are being filed every day because we won’t take responsibility for ourselves.  Capable, intelligent people have been relying on subsidized programs for generations because we don’t want to take responsibility for ourselves.  Powerful, wealthy, influential people continue to support policies, make decisions, lie, cheat and steal thinking they have no responsibility to anyone and feel they are above paying the consequences of their choices.  

Why has becoming responsible become so difficult?  It’s my firm belief that once we take responsibility for our actions we will begin to see a shift in how the world responds and rewards us.  The more responsible we become the more we will be trusted, respected and compensated for our efforts.  

One way to develop responsibility is to have accountability; someone or a several trusted “someones” to keep us in line with our values, goals or aspirations.  Are there people in your life that can help you become more responsible with your time, talents (give back), resources, goals and aspirations?  Why don’t you start meeting with them regularly and I think you will see a nice return on your investment!