Monday, November 21, 2011

It's not your fault, but it is your responsibility!!!

How can it be my responsibility if it's not my fault?  It's not your fault because you have been conditioned to believe for the most part that "Shit happens" or that life happens to you.  It is your responsibility because you participated in creating the "what" that is part of your experience.

Have you ever noticed how when there appears to be a problem, you are there experiencing the "problem".  The experience ranges from just observing the problem all the way to being so immersed in it that your whole whole life seems to be coming to an end!!!!!  Well, even if you are just observing that there is a problem, you are part of it, you are participating in it and you have chosen to do so.

Think not?  Okay, don't take responsibility then, and in the words of one of my favorite people, "how is that working out for you?"  Let me ask you this, Is the economic situation a problem for you?  Are you the least bit worried about it?  Or, does Congress' behavior cause you any concern?  Are you down right pissed off at Wall Street for ruining the Economy?  Are you upset with the 1%'s?   Well, if any of these issues is bothering you and seems to be a problem, you participated in creating it to some degree.......but its not your fault.  Feel better?

It is your responsibility though.  Now, if you feel the least bit of angst about taking responsibility for any problem, that is only an indication of the conditioning you have been under all of your life.  The really good news is that the solution is just a thought away.  Yep, just a thought away.  One of my favorite facts of life is "You get what you are, and not necessarily what you want".  Do you take responsibility for everything that happens in your life?  Or only the good stuff?  Are you deliberate in your thinking?  Do you look at outcomes that are not aligned with your desires and ask, "How did I contribute to that?"

The manager I referred to in my last post was responsible for the lack of her people performing to their potential because she bred mediocrity by rewarding something less than what her people were capable of delivering.  It comes down to two things;

1.  Do you aspire to be above average or to become your full potential?

2.  Are you thoughts oriented on short term results or long term results?

The first one is pretty clear, most people are mediocre in delivering what they are capable of, so above average is slightly above mediocre.  Ugh!!!  The difference in being long term oriented versus short term is the difference between delivering a result and delivering a sustainable, progressive and lasting result.  Look at Wall Street, they delivered a result and were paid immense bonuses based on that result which drove the global economy into the ground.  And make no mistake, they delivered the result because people acted upon their proposition.  Might have been institutions that bought from the bankers, but everyday people participated by delivering the demand for shoddy investments vehicles because all they wanted was return.

A long term thought process for the Manager from the last post would be having candid conversations about her people's performance and developing a deliberate multi pronged plan for influencing those individuals to begin making the effort to deliver what they are capable of.

Make it your responsibility to be deliberate in how you think about things, life, work, family and find the solution within the problem, it's always there.

 

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