Man : Incharge (Accountability and Responsibility)

Accountability and Responsibility

In ethics  and  governance, accountability is the act of 
a. answerability, 
b. blameworthiness, 
c. liability, and 
d. the expectation of giving accountability. 

It is an integral aspect of governance, relating more to the public sector, nonprofit and private ( corporate) world’s problems.

In leadership, accountability is the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for their 
i.   actions, 
ii.  end products, 
iii. decisions making, and 
iv. endorsing policies which include 
       a. administrative, 
       b. good governance and 
       c.implementation within the scope of the role or employment and 
       d. encompassing the obligation to report, 
       e. explain and be answerable for resulting consequences.

 

Personal Responsibility

Personal responsibility is the act of accepting accountability for one's actions, acknowledging the outcome of those actions and that can affect others as well. People are responsible for any unfortunate situation or turmoil that they have brought about into their lives.

Human has many responsibilities and functions to fulfill; as a spouse, as a parent, as an employee or an employer. Many a times, while fulfilling those roles the person's emotions character and strengths will be put to the test and challenged. As a responsible person, one must choose what is within one's control, what is right and what is wrong, and what is good and what is bad.

When one does not take personal responsibility, there is a tendency to place the blame on others. An immaturity and lack of personal development and growth on oneself. Everything act and repercussion done is always the fault of someone else. This fault finding event will stalled the advancement in life due to the wrong focusing. Accepting personal responsibility is the correct attitude and displays the wisdom and maturity and helps eliminate unnecessary problems in life.

The opposite of being accountable for one's actions is ascribing blame and accusing others and making excuses for what is happening in one's life. Man is a habitual creature, habitual in making excuses, avoiding responsibility for their deeds.

Effects  

Responsibilities are equated with obligation and duty and consider the accountability. People have to realize that responsibility is a blessing and not a burden. 
Personal responsibility accords people the opportunity, freedom and power to determine the course of their lives. They will feel liberated and will gain the power to completely change themselves. As people have the freedom to choose the course of their lives, they and only they are responsible for their future and present, their successes and failures and their unhappiness and happiness.

The ability to accept personal responsibility is the aspect that separates a child from an adult. It is a sign of maturity and the indication of being totally incorporated into the world of mature responsible adults.

There is a very strong correlation between being a responsible person and a happy and satisfied person on the one hand, and being irresponsible and unhappy on the other hand.         When one is happy, one has control over one's life; the more sense of control the happier the person. Accomplished people or those in high positions in a company feel much happier than those who are not.

The reason being they are in control and in command of their destinies and have greater freedom for taking action and effecting decisions. The greater the responsibility one has, the greater the authority and the more power and respect one will get. People who feel terrific and great about themselves are the happiest people and that is a direct outgrowth of living as a responsible person.

People who are irresponsible and shun all responsibility will show traits of hostility, fear, resentment and anger and experience self doubt. They also will also experience negative emotions which can result from irresponsibility. Many emotional problems exist and stem from not being able to accept responsibility and placing blame elsewhere.

When one becomes a responsible person, one becomes a finer, stronger and better person and nearly every aspect of life begins to improve.

When people decide not to be responsible, society becomes chaotic and fraught with problems. When there is no sense of accountability in parents, children, politicians or communities, then people suffer.

Being accountable and responsible is paramount. Parents are responsible for the upbringing of their children, to teach them properly, even to name them with good names.

With the media attention on crime the spotlight is currently on the youth, but parents also have a responsibility, just as society does. When young people see that the common culture implies that you can do what you like, or they feel that they are not responsible or accountable, then chaos rules.

This means that collectively, the society is responsible for itself in maintaining a healthy environment.

Responsibility and accountability go together like a hand and a tight fitting glove. As the narration above shows, political accountability is primary in Islam, with responsibility in the other aspects of society a close second. So, people should be responsible and accountable during their time in this world. They are accountable to their fellow citizens for upholding the values  and conduct.

Why Does This Seem so Hard

A term that is said by most and yet still the most misunderstood phrase or some may ask themselves are others ignoring what they demand of society. Why is this a difficult task and truly what does it mean? It seems that more of society is having trouble of doing this simple task and yet condemning their neighbor for abiding in their same law.

a.      Feeling strength and power

i.   The need to feel strong and powerful with ones actions. 
ii.  When one admits to wrong doing or displaying inadequacies, it is a sign of defeat. 
iii. Those having trouble with admitting their short comings, inclusive us, is a battle of  insecurity. 
iv. Mixed with pride will complete the wrong concoction all bottled up, some would imagine it to be.

b.     Feeling Important

   We all like to feel important and have others have a high opinion on us. Developing an over-inflated view of themselves. Wrap into us in what is call a "denial" state, a false perception of self and the inability to accept the truth about us. 
  It becomes more painful to accept the mistakes we make and when if do occur the first reaction is to point the finger at someone else.  Refusing to think objectively and accept any involvement for our actions.

c.      Respect

   The need to have a seat of success and high self efficacy and respect is important a universal attribute that stands up to the test of time. Respect comes with doing the right thing; but being human, it can be wrong occasionally as well. 
     It is better to admit to your mistakes and the idea of self improvement rather than to deny any involvement as a character building actions.

d.     Childhood upbringing

 a. It stem back to childhood, parenting to become an adult. 
 b. If the pattern learned early is natural and empowering during adulthood. 
 c.What is taught and believe stands up during life and being honest in your many mistakes throughout life shows maturity not weakness

e.      Feelings of Insecurity

   Raised in a very chaotic with constantly putting down, yelled at, or emotionally abused and growing will develop a feeling of inferiority. 
   Someone who didn't receive much attention, positive reinforcement, or recognition growing up, always feeling overlooked. These conditions can cause a lack of confidence in their own abilities along with feelings of low self-esteem.

f.       Arrogance

i.   People develop arrogance for several reasons. 
ii.  It could have been inherited - some folks know very little about humility. 
iii. Others are so over confident that they become completely self-centered and see themselves as flawless and incapable of making mistakes. 
iv. There are those who are so insecure that their arrogance is a way of compensating for their insecurities. They feel they must act superior or arrogant to others.

7. Prejudices

    Some people, who feel victims of racial discrimination, intolerance, or narrow-mindedness, are always on guard or on edge. They feel unable to get the recognition they deserve and feel that others stand in their way of progress. 
     This triggers feelings of insecurities that results of the inability to accept responsibility for their actions. They refuse to accept responsibility for their actions.

Price You Pay for Not Being Responsible

By failing to live up to a mature self and not taking responsibility for self your world life lacks harmony. It begin when you feel find a false sense of self resulting; the lies reflecting your character as a temporarily superior creature. Exterior persona of insecurity devouring inside.

One becomes irritable, demanding, hard to get along and critical of others as you impose your false sense of standards of what is expected of others. The only accomplishment to this point is to create a false person with unrealistic views and without change will continue to corrupt one’s life.

Once this habit of refusing to accept personal responsibility is maintained, your character transformed slowly. Someone who is irresponsible, a quitter, reliant on others, disturbed, unhappy, hopeless, angry, irrational, and defiant. These qualities are not success enhancers. They can eat away at your ability to achieve your best.

Accountability and Responsibility

People often use the words accountability and responsibility interchangeably.

Accountability

Accountability is the responsibility to take action. Accountability is something you do yourself, not something done for you. Accountability must be taken.

Responsibility

i.    Responsibility is the authority given to you to do something. 
ii.   Responsibility must be given. 
iii. That means that you can have responsibility for someone or something, but not take accountability for them/it. 
For example, I can be given the responsibility by my boss to hire another salesperson on my team. If I hire someone within the timeline, I have been accountable (taken action). If I do not hire someone within the timeline, I have not been accountable (not taken action).

Three Types of Accountability

There are three areas in which you must hold yourself accountable:

1.    Your actions and choices—

           This would include such things as:

·        The way in which you communicate with others

·        How you spend your time

·        Your behavior and manners

·        The consideration and respect you show others

·        Your eating habits and exercising routine

·        Your attitude and thoughts

·        The way you respond to challenges

2.     Your responsibilities—

           This would include these types of things:

·        Returning calls, emails, and texts in a timely manner

·        Being on time for business and personal appointments

·        Keeping your home, car, and workplace clean

·        Spending less than you earn

·        Doing the things you agreed to do when you agreed to do them

·        Executing your job description to the best of your ability

·        Writing things down on a “To Do” list so you don’t forget

3.     Your goals—

           This would include your:

·        Fitness and health targets

·        Financial goals

·        Family objectives

·        Career ambitions

·        Personal goals

·        Marital enhancement

·        Any other goals you have set for yourself

You cannot achieve any worthwhile personal or professional goal, if you don’t hold yourself accountable. 
The reason is simple. It’s your life!  
If you have to be held accountable at work, don’t expect to be promoted or to experience any type of significant career advancement. 
If you have to be held accountable at home by your parents, roommate or spouse, it will grow old fast and your relationships will deteriorate.

Responsibility may refer to:

·         Collective responsibility ·       Corporate social responsibility ·         Diffusion of responsibility ·         Diminished responsibility ·         Duty ·         Human responsibilities ·        Legal liability ·       Legal responsibility various meanings ·        Moral responsibility ·        Obligation

·        Media responsibility ·        Professional responsibility ·        Responsibility assumption in spirituality and personal-growth contexts ·        Single  responsibility principle ·       Social responsibility ·     Cabinet collective  responsibility, a constitutional Convention in Governments  · Individual ministrial collective responsibility, a constitutional convention guiding Cabinet ministers

a.  You need to take responsibility for anything that happens around you. 

b. You contribute to the success around you, and 

c.  it is your responsibility to make things happen. 

d.  If you fail, take responsibility, if your company doesn’t win a sale, 

e. take responsibility for your contributions and 

f. own up to the fact that you contributed to the loss of the sale.

It's Up to You to Now Take Charge!

Remember back when you were able to take responsibility or observed another doing so, it may have been difficult but rewarding. 
By being able to free yourself from the clutches of ills  you will begin to be reminded of the happier more confident times. Practice actions is the key, as often there will hitches but as long as you recognize and attempt to change one should not ask for more.

• First realize blaming others for your choices is unfair business.
• Making mistakes equal human behavior; admitting to your errors will earn respect.
• Pretending to be someone you are not shows low self-esteem; work on increasing your self esteem and perception.
• No need to feel sorry for yourself or to feel inferior.
• Build self-confidence hence defusing the desire to become defensive when you make a mistake.
• Do away with self-centeredness by showing compassion and empathy to others.
• Insecurities are created by fear learn how to release fear.
• ACCEPT YOU.
• Be objective in your views without bias or prejudices.
• Stop being the victim.
• Develop a spiritual self which can bloom self-awareness.

BE SUCCESSFUL 

Holding yourself accountable is nothing more than following through with YOUR commitments and responsibilities.  It’s doing what YOU know YOU should do, when YOU should do it.

Whether you are 15 years old or 60 years old, let today be the day that you make the commitment to yourself that you will NEVER again require anyone else to hold you accountable.   

Encouraged you to start keeping a prioritized 

" To Do' list and focus on holding yourself accountable 

to working through your tasks in a prioritized sequence.

This is your life!  Take control. Be responsible for it.

Excerpt and extracts taken with thanks from :

Wikipedia

Todd Smith

The 85% Solution: How Personal Accountability Guarantees Success — No Nonsense, No Excuses (Galindo, 2009)
www.MyCollegesandCareers.com

Josh Lowry
www.wellbeingalignment.com/personal-accountability.html

www.questia.com/library/psychology/personality-and-emotions/personal-responsibility