personal accountability Archives

Episode 81 – Embracing Accountability

March 23, 2017 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

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“Each day you are leading by example. Whether you realize it or not or whether it’s positive or negative, you are influencing those around you.”
― Rob Liano

Too many people think no one is watching them so they think, “What does it matter if I cut corners or spend extra time on my cellphone versus working on a project or going to visit a new customer?” Who will notice? You should! Accountability begins with you. You may take it for granted and people may not tell you but they do pay attention to what you do and what you do not do. You can’t expect hold others accountable if you cannot hold yourself accountable first.

What is Accountability?

Accountability, in its simplest terms, is doing what you say you are going to do. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, accountability is “an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.” Being accountable means you are taking 100 percent responsibility for your results – good or bad. When you are accountable, you make the decision to “own” your part in a situation versus playing the victim of circumstance. The victim mindset is one of complaining, blaming, and making excuses as to why others are responsible for your results or lack of results – you are disowning it!

“Accountability breeds response-ability.” – Stephen Covey

I think people get afraid of being held accountable because the fear the consequences. I like to think by holding myself accountable for my actions I am holding myself to a higher standard to better myself. When you hold yourself accountable for your actions without placing blame on others, you have raised the bar. You will more intentional with your approach to things to get the desired results.

Why Do People Avoid Accountability?

There are many reasons that you might avoid being held accountable. One reason might be “blame”. It doesn’t feel good when someone blames you for the results achieved. You do not want to be the reason why something did not turn out the way to was anticipated. The second reason is the fear of failure. Too many of us get caught up in worrying about what other people are thinking and saying about us. You may be afraid of failing. In most situations, the world as you know it will not end. What matters is that you take time to review what went wrong and learn from your mistakes to hopefully do better in the future. The third reason is the fear of success. What happens to those who take accountability? They are often given more responsibility because these are the people who get things done or make things happen. They are held to a higher standard and have higher expectations of their performance. Growth comes with success and taking on more responsibility. As you reach one level, you are challenged with new opportunities to help you learn and growth.

Why Don’t We Hold People Accountable?

Sometimes I think people don’t hold others accountable because it involves having an uncomfortable conversation or that they may not be liked. Trouble is, if you do not deal with it as soon as possible it can have a significant impact on your team members. Your star performers will be the ones picking up the pieces. You will end up lowering the standard or bar because you know that they will not deliver on what is expected of them just to keep peace. What does that solve? It ends up festering division in your team and lowering the performance level of the person you should be holding accountable.

How Do We Start Making Accountability a Priority?

You start making accountability a priority when you can communicate a clear vision as to what you want to achieve. It is important to define roles and expectations so people have something to measure their progress by. Set a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) goals. This way you have something to measure your progress by. Remember what gets measured gets managed. It also gives us something to aim towards. Otherwise, how would you know if you achieved it or not. Make sure those around you know what accountability means to you and that it is not about consequences versus ownership. Are you able to police yourself and take the actions you need to even if no one is watching?

Why Should You Be Accountable?

You need to recognize that you have more power over your circumstances than you give yourself credit for. You cannot change the past; what happened in the past is in the past. We can all think about all the things we could have done, should have done, or would have done. What are you going to do today to create your best day and set yourself up for a brighter future?

Accountability is about “owning it” instead of letting circumstances own you. When you follow through on what you say you are going to do, you are being accountable. You become seen as a leader or role model. Being accountable for your choices and actions is about being dependable and reliable which also makes you trustworthy. You also boost your credibility in the marketplace. You will never be recognized for all the great things you do in life if you do not put yourself out there to learn what you are capable of being, doing, or having. By choosing to be accountable, you will be more focused and intentional with the action you take as you know that every choice makes an impact as to whether you are getting closer to your goal.

Set expectations for yourself of what you wish to achieve and by when. Block off time for the items on your to-do list in a calendar. A running list of to do items does not have a timeline so you may be continuously adding to the list. If you want things to get done, put it in the calendar. Don’t overschedule yourself. It is okay to so say “no” when you are focused on getting what you need done.

I have heard too many excuses from people like it has been a life long problem…if so in the words of Dr. Phil…how is that working for you? Stop right now and choose to own what you can do something about. No more excuses! Businesses and organizations are looking for someone who will embrace accountability to get desired results.

Are you up to the challenge? Opportunities open for those who are accountable for their actions.

We would love to have you subscribed to the Success Secrets newsletter on my website at www.debrakasowski.com where you’re going to get us free MP3 download 10 Surefire Strategies to Power Up Your Productivity and Performance. I would love to hear about this podcast has impacted your life. E-mail me at Debra@DebraKasowski.com. Thank you for listening to The Millionaire Woman Show where we talk about leadership, business, and human potential to help you live rich from the inside out. Subscribe to The Millionaire Woman Show. Share it with Your Friends. Give us a 5-star rating!

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 download today! www.debrakasowski.com

Time: 11:14 min

Keywords: accountability, embracing accountability, why be accountable, why people avoid accountability, why we don’t hold people accountable, no excuses, no blaming, no complaining, personal accountability, lack of accountability

The Game Changer You Cannot Succeed Without

May 27, 2015 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

Have you ever heard someone say, “I can tell if you will succeed in life within a five-minute conversation.” If you have, you will know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, let me tell you how.

I love talking with people but what really gets my juices flowing is learning about what gets people excited about their lives-what they are passionate about. I am a very curious person by nature and I can pick up on whether person will succeed or not. I will not say they will never succeed because as human beings we are always works in progress; however, until these people make a shift in their habits, thinking, and behavior, they may be working hard but not having their personal breakthroughs.

The game changing quality that you must have in life to succeed is personal accountability. When you have personal accountability, you can change your life.

The first indicator of whether or not you will succeed is your mindset. Are you a victim or a victor? A person with the victim mindset resolves to complaining, blaming, and making excuses for not achieving the results that they want. It is always another person’s fault for their lack of achievement. The victim is usually judgmental, pessimistic, or resentful. They avoid any challenge that may not lead to guaranteed success. A victor, on the other hand, is someone who takes 100% responsibility for their actions and behaviors. A victor will “own their stuff”; they own their words and also reflect on how they are responsible for their own outcomes. They are open-minded, optimistic, and willing to take on challenges to learn and grow.

The second indicator is whether or not the person takes ownership of their thoughts, feelings, and above all, actions. When I talk about personal ownership, I’m not talking about material goods. I am talking about taking that 100% responsibility for what you say and what you do. You only get in life what you put out into the world. You must be willing to put the effort it takes to get what you want. The same holds true for relationships. If each individual in a relationship is only putting 50% effort then they should expect mediocre outcomes. Whereas, if each individual is giving 100% effort into the relationship, the relationship will flourish. The same holds true for your goals in life, your career, or business. The results you get are dependent on the efforts put in.

The third indicator is a person’s attitude. People often forget that attitude is a choice. A successful person knows that setbacks are temporary. They are moments to pause, reflect, and learn from. Sometimes, you need to course correct when things didn’t go your way. By choosing a positive outlook and a “quitting is not an option” attitude, you will increase your chances of being successful. A positive unstoppable attitude allows you to be open-minded and look for the possibilities and opportunities.

In a 5 minute conversation, you can tell if someone chooses to be a victim or a victor. You can tell if they take responsibility for their actions and behaviors. You can tell if they have an unstoppable mindset and if they are determined to succeed. Take time to learn about another person’s goal and discover ways you can help them become victorious. If you realized that you must make some changes to your life, know that it’s never too late.

Life is like a game. Let personal accountability be your game changer.

6 Powerful Reasons to Take Decisive Action NOW

January 6, 2014 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

We can all come up with an excuse as to “why” today might not be the right time or place to take action.

I am tired of hearing excuses from people with so much potential to make positive change in the world. Many sit on the sidelines just waiting for life to say “Hello, it’s your turn.” These people have worked hard long hours yet continually postpone their success. Why?

Time stops for no one.

Why wait?

“The possibilities are numerous once we decide to act and not react.” – George Bernard Shaw

You may even challenge my reasons for taking decision action – NOW but that’s okay. That is my intent! When you question, thoughts and beliefs you can gain a whole new perspective and – even get out of the rut you may have found yourself in. Life is way too short not to do something!

You have been getting the same results and feedback over and over. It is hard to gain momentum when you have hit a plateau and you are not going anywhere. This is a time when it is crucial to examine your results and feedback. Discover what is working and not working? Do a little bit research of current best practices. Better yet, get your creative juices going and innovate.
Courtesy of stockimages/freedigitalphotos.net
You Get What You Put into Life. If you are not taking action with 100% effort, you cannot expect to reap 100% results. You need to plunge into your goals and dreams with heart and passion. Make 100% commitment to achieving them.
It is your life SO do something about it. There are 7 billion people on this planet – who are you going to give your power to? Do not wait for the knight in shining armour, the damsel in distress, or the silver platter handing you success. It’s your life so take control and take 100% responsibility for your actions.
The right time happens when you make the choice to make it so. There never seems to be a right time or place to get what you want. Make the right time your time. You are in control of your choices. Plan, prepare, and decide.
If you decide to quit, you let the competition win. Nothing spurs me on more than rehearsing this statement in my head. Do you really want to give it all away? You have come so far; your success may be a result of your next action. Are you willing to let it all go for temporary defeat?
What you know means nothing unless you do! You can have all the knowledge in the world but nothing really happens until you apply what you learn.

Now is the perfect time to chart your course and take action. What is your reason for taking massive decisive action TODAY?