A challenge or obstacle appears.
We have a choice, writes Mark Samuel and Sophie Chiche in their terrific little book, The Power of Personal Accountability.
Yesterday, we looked at the hazards of entering the victim loop.
Danger, Will Robinson…
Our other choice is to take accountability.
We enter the accountability loop when we recognize there is a problem. Awareness is always step one.
Next, we own it. Or, at a minimum, we own our part in it. Rather than deny or rationalize why we aren’t to blame, we take responsibility.
The next step, according to Mark and Sophie, is to forgive. We forgive ourselves and others for their part in the problem.
Too often, we neglect or skip over this step.
We say, “Forgive and forget.”
But do we?
Our desire to blame runs deep. Just under the surface runs a river of resentment. We carry it around. It weighs on us and gets in the way of building strong relationships – personally and professionally.
We can choose to forgive. We can choose to feel those feelings of resentment or sadness or anger.
Then, we can choose to let it go.
Forgiveness is an unlocking move.
Afterwards, with a clear head and a lighter heart, we are able to analyze the obstacle and the desired outcome. We seek to understand various perspectives, including our role in what has happened.
Our goal is to learn. What do we need to do to move toward our desired outcome and avoid this situation in the future?
Finally, we take action.
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Reflection: When in the past have we taken accountability for a challenging situation and successfully navigated toward a solution?
Action: Identify a current sticky situation and take accountability.
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