Responsibility and accountability are more than Interesting words; they are principles of life, whether it be in your professional or your personal life.
You might be thinking, “Principles? What d’ya mean by principles, Dan?”
I invite you to read on because there is a link to a great video that ties this together with an example from a US banking organization. My good friend John Wettstein (Safety John) sent it to me.
But I caution you, pardner. The article and the video might be a burr under your saddle blanket – a bit agitatin’. Might getcha snortin’ and pawin’ and rebellin’. It’s called “tough love” friend.
A principle? It is something that you and I have the opportunity to live by every single day – a value, code, or standard. We have the opportunity, which means it is a conscious choice.
Now, what about the principle words in the title? These are dooseys.
Responsibility is an ability to respond. For example, since I have a contract with the power company, it is my responsibility to pay the power bill each month. Since I have agreements with my coaching clients, it is my responsibility to provide them with high-quality coaching sessions. It is my responsibility to ask the really inspiring, motivating, and yes, the tough questions, so they create great value for themselves.
Accountability is much deeper, encompassing, and empowering. My good friend, Jay Fiset, in his award winning book, “Reframe Your Blame” defines accountability as:
A framing device that eliminates blame of self and others, providing the power of choice, participation, and co-creation of the experiences and results in life, real or imagined.
Accountability is about me taking ownership for every thought, word, and action, as well as my experiences, which are the result of my thoughts, words, and actions. 
Here is the catch, this ownership happens without blaming myself or others. And since every experience in life ends in feelings, accountability is also taking ownership for my feelings – they are mine and my choice.
Oooohhh, that’s BIG!
It’s time for me to start practicing what I preach. Here are examples:
- I’ve got some new keynote presentations to deliver in the New Year, and I’ve been feeling a bit antsy and resistant to starting the creation part. Yes, I’ve used the excuses that I’ve been busy with other stuff – blaming other circumstances and myself.
Cool awareness! Excuses and blame aside, I’ve booked three hours on Friday to develop the framework for the presentations.
- I haven’t been getting the level of physical exercise I’d like. I’ve bought into BS excuses and blamed myself and others and the weather. But, that was in the past.
In five minutes when I finish this article (which I had also put off – BS excuses), I’m going outside for a good long snowshoe run, with my trusty dog Jack at my side.
I have not been living 100% accountably. Yet it is a principle that is extremely important to me.
What about you? On a scale of 1 to 10, where are you at with accountability in your life?
1 means you totally blame others and yourself for every result, experience and feeling – it’s not your fault. 10 means you totally own every result, experience and feeling, without blaming anyone or anything.
Go ahead, what’s your rating?
Wherever you are is totally fine – a great awareness. The tough question, “What are you going to do now?”
But first, check out this great video about 100/0, which means 100% responsibility, 0% excuses. John Izzo does an exceptional job of relating a success story. It even involves Love – tough Love.
Moving into the Christmas season and the New Year, this is the perfect time to make powerful, meaningful, and accountable choices. And I’d like to know, “How are you going to be totally accountable for your every experience and feeling from now on?”
I don’t know about you, but I’m doing it now!
I’d love to have a dialogue about these principles. Please email or call me.
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