Ultimately, an attitude of self-responsibility must be generated from within the individual. It can not be given from the outside, just as self-esteem cannot. It is important to note that it is an attitude.

Too often in our current society we see examples of why people are not responsible for their actions. We have a welfare system that supports the notion that people are not responsible for their lives and well-being and a legal system that supports the notion that people are not responsible for the actions.

In an environment where it is not enough to simply strive for increased growth, businesses need to develop an ethos of commitment within their staff, to develop a sense of pride in their job. Successful businesses have been shown to have a strong sense of responsibility within their ranks.

How often have you had the situation where your staff have come to you with a problem for the business which they expect you to resolve? They are passing on to you not just the problem but also the responsibility. This is a trap that you as their manager have set for yourself. A secret to good management is to avoid being overly responsible. What your employee has done is to come to you avoiding all responsibility for the problem, which is likely to have been within their area, and done near to nothing about it other than to pass it on to you. They have avoided taking responsibility for the situation themselves. Self-responsibility would have dictated that they at least offer up possible approaches to overcome the problem.

Though a sense of self-responsibility can only be really achieved by the individual themselves, businesses can play an important role in fostering such an attitude within its staff. By developing strong leaders within your business who then provide their staff with opportunities to do the same possess the greatest opportunity to thrive.

In order that individuals feel competent to live and worthy of happiness, they need a sense of control over their existence. This demands that they are willing to take responsibility for their actions and attainment of their goals, their life and their well-being.

Essential to developing an attitude of self-responsibility is to accept the principal that everything that occurs in your life is the result of a decision that you have made yourself. No longer can you blame others. No longer can you expect others to carry your burden. No longer can you pass on the responsibility to anyone but yourself.

A business can foster such attitudes in its management and staff in a number of ways. It does however need to start at the top. It is recognised that by living to a set of corporate values that promote self-motivation, idea sharing and personal growth, an organisation will be rewarded by a stronger sense of self responsibility within its staff

For any of you who have tried to read Deepak Chopra and found it hard going, this is the book I can recommend you read.

It is a short book of some 140 pages that contains four simple messages explained in simple language. Deepak Chopra himself says "Don Miguel Ruiz's book is a roadmap to enlightenment and freedom".

IN the Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that robs us of joy and creates needless suffering. Based on the ancient wisdom from ancient Mexico, The Four Agreements offers a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness and love. The Four Agreements are:

In previous feature articles I have focused on elements of great leaders. However, once you know you are leading, how do you avoid developing a so-called "swollen head" that can hinder your ability to maintain your employees respect.

Why do so many fast-track executives perish while others flourish?

The American Management Association conducted in-depth interviews with 41 executives and uncovered seven common traits that most often lead leaders to failure: 

1. Insensitivity to co-workers.

2. Aloofness and arrogance.

3. Tendency to misuse information conveyed in confidence.

4. Inability to control ambition.

5. Inability to delegate assignments or promote teamwork.

6. Inability to staff effectively.

7. Inability to think strategically.

So how can those that lead maintain the difficult balance of managing the affairs of the company while maintaining the loyalty of their employees? What truly sets apart the mediocre, overbearing boss from a highly respected and effective leader? 

The answer is leaders lead people. A leader represents one whom others consistently follow. Thus it stands to reason, that people follow because they have a belief in the direction, integrity and competence of the one leading. 

As Kenneth "Thane" Walker once said, "A manager remains a leader only as long as he keeps proving that he is the superior man with the best method."

Speaking of methods here are five sure-fire checkpoints to help today's leaders avoid becoming yesterday's news:

1. Sometimes leadership is merely letting people do their jobs.

Willie Shoemaker, one of the best jockeys of all time, said that he kept the lightest touch on the horse's reins:  "The horse never knows I'm there until he needs me." Or as management consultant Garry Jenkins puts it more bluntly, "The leaders role is to create a vision, not kick somebody in the ass."

2. Leader's cannot be aloof they must constantly show that they care.

People leave or love their jobs for a number of reasons. Ask yourself the following questions. How important do your employees in their work? What have you as a leader done to show your employees how important they are? When was the last time you made it possible for people to proud of their achievements? How often do you celebrate successes? Chances are your answers to these few simple questions will closely reflect your employee retention rate.

3. A good leader keeps the entire team tuned to the fundamentals of success.

Frank Leahy, the legendary Notre Dame football coach, always stressed fundamentals. After an especially bad game, he sat his team down in the locker room, picked up an object and said to his players, "All right men, let's return to the fundamentals. This is a football." To which one of his lineman taking notes in the back of the room replied, "Wait a minute, Coach. Not so fast."

4. Leadership is getting your employees to compromise for the good of all.

When Columbus was searching for the New World, his crew became discouraged and demanded that he turn back. So Columbus obliged to compromise with them, promising that if they would be patient and faithful just three days longer, he would abandon the enterprise, unless land should be discovered. Before the three days expired, land appeared and the rest is history.

5. Leaders must learn to sacrifice for others.

Take the example of Alexander The Great, who over three hundred years ago led his troops across a hot and desolate plain. After eleven days out, he and all his soldiers we're nearly dead from thirst. Alexander pressed on. At midday, two scouts brought him what little water they had which barely filled his cup. Alexander's troops stood back and watched as he poured the water into the hot sand proclaiming, "It's no use for one to drink when many thirst."

Being a leader, Alexander gave his followers the only thing he had: inspiration. Remember, the influences of a leader last long after their gone or as Walter Lippmann said, "The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on."

Copyright 2004, Joel Garfinkle,
 

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