All too often we confuse things in life and the word ‘accountability’ is often synonymous with blame and losing your job, especially in the corporate world.
Once someone utters the word ‘accountability’ everyone runs for cover. When we get to ourselves too, the thought of being accountable sends shivers down our spine, we can no longer blame others.
Accountability is not about blaming others or blaming ourselves, it is not about blame in any way.
It is about realising that we are responsible for our outcomes in life.
Realising responsibility removes the opportunity to hide behind excuses, so this, in turn, facilitates learning, learning if applied leads to better outcomes and thus accountability is the catalyst for better outcomes.
From the moment we are born to the moment we die, we are the only common factor in every single thing that goes on in our life that matters. We can not control what others do, or the weather or any other common excuses. We can control what we do and in order to improve how we control ourselves, we have to learn, and learning can only begin once we accept that we were responsible for the outcome. Not to blame, but to be responsible, there is a huge difference.
Blame creates victims and blocks progress. Responsibility creates an understanding that we created the outcome, so therefore, we can learn, improve and create better outcomes.
Don’t look for blame, look for learning and take account of what we do. It is the route to better outcomes and a happier life.
Philip Dodson 