I was at a lobby of a hotel last week waiting for a business meeting and I happened to hear a rather interesting conversation between a young lady and the guest relations manager of the hotel. As the lady was getting up to see something that the guest relations manager was showing, she collected her belongings at which point the manager mentioned to her, “Ma’am don’t worry about your belongings. They are safe.” The lady smiled, thanked him and said “I understand sir, but I rather be responsible for my belongings and what happens to it instead of entrusting them to someone else.”
Responsibility, I thought, was well-defined by this lady.
Responsibility
→Is having an obligation to do something and doing it. If you are accountable you need to be responsible. Responsibility can be shared but not accountability.
→Is taking care of your thoughts, actions and duties and
→Is answering for your words and actions.
No matter whether you are at work, walking on the road, at the gym, on holiday or interacting on social media.
Responsibility is a word that equals Respons(e) + (A)bility. Each of us have the ability to make a choice. “A choice” for the response we give to each situation or events that take place in the journey called life.
Choose to take the actions that create the results that you will desire if they were applied on you.
How can we be responsible?
1. Not to shine your own light by dimming someone else’s. This applies to every aspect of your life.
2. For every stimulus, you respond to, you have the power to choose how you want to live your life and behave in every moment in the space that you occupy.
3. You are the only person who is responsible for your thoughts and decisions. Integrity, compassion, empathy, attitude control are important elements of responsibility and it doesn’t matter what role you play in your life. Attitude control is part of your responsibility.
4. When you hire people hold them accountable for their actions or inactions.
5. Do not assume and do not make generalizations and resort to stereotyping.
Life goes on…. And you must take personal responsibility because that is within your control.
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of- Jim Rohn.
I had never thought of responsibility in terms of response + ability. Makes the choice we have so much clearer. Not only do we need to BE responsible we need to choose a response that will allow us to lead with integrity. Love how you have me thinking all from a simple conversation you overheard. Thank you!
Thank you Alli. That conversation that I heard got me thinking :).
I find that responsibility is taken very lightly by many in some aspects of life. The way people behave in public transport, at yoga or gym or even on the street or on social media. It is almost like watching a split personality. I often wonder why they do what they do.
Thank you so much for your continued support. I appreciate you.
Enjoyed your post, Lalita and agree that we each need to take responsibility for our words and actions!
I think that it was a shame that we don’t have enough trust to leave our bags with a hotel manager. But if we don’t make the choice to be accountable when we are uncertain, we could end up in a challenging spot.
Thanks for your reminders of choice!
Your insight on if we don’t make a choice to be accountable when we are uncertain, we could end up in a challenging spot is a lovely reminder of responsibility.
Thank you Terri. I appreciate your comment.
Good description about responsibility
Thank you.