The Ultimate Responsibility

After publishing Decembers Success Strategies newsletter about creating a balanced life I received some great feedback.  In the article I said that a wheel out of balance would not roll. L.G. from a property in Louisiana suggested that a wheel out of balance will indeed roll.  He said that it will wobble and bounce but it will roll.  Carolene, from a property in California found two typos in the article. 

At first this feedback was difficult for me to hear because I so want to offer you the highest quality product possible. My first action was to call my professional editor.  I told my editor that I was extremely disappointed that these two mistakes were not caught.  I made it clear that this could not happen again. 

After the call I sat in my office and began to think.  As my mind wondered I thought about personal responsibility; one of the central themes in all of my work with others.  A key question I often ask others is this:  Who is always around when things are not going well in your life?  The answer although so clear is often overlooked.  It is you! Or in this case it was me.   So often when I want to look elsewhere for the cause of my indiscretions when I have gotten right down to it, it has been pilot error.

The ultimate responsibility of any article I publish rests with me.  It is much easier for us to look outside of ourselves for someone else to blame but in doing so we are not being honest with ourselves.  For me, this is not the first time this has been an issue and I am sure it will not be the last and at the same time I welcome all opportunities no matter how difficult to accept that remind me that ultimately the responsibility lies with my decision for what I choose to do, or choose not to do!

When speaking with food servers in the Food and Beverage industry I remind them that they are solely responsible for making sure the plate presentation and food preparation is exactly what it is supposed to be.  It is not the dishwashers responsibility, nor the line staff who may have plated the dish.  The ultimate responsibility rests with the individual who last touches the plate before it reaches the end user, your guest. 

Regardless of what role you play in the creation of your organizations success, remember, the ultimate responsibility does not rest with management, your immediate boss nor your co-workers.  The ultimate responsibility for you to do your very best all of the time rests with you!  Remember, if you place the issue outside of you, you can't fix it.  When you stand up and take responsibility rather than looking for other's to blame you will, as I have found, empower yourself.  It is from this place that you can take further positive action not only to rectify a past indiscretion, but build something of which you can be proud.

P.S. I have changed Decembers article on the website to reflect the new insight offered to me from those who are committed to helping me continue to Strive For Excellence. I have also hired a second copy editor.

Thanks again for being open to new possibilities!

Peter Scott – Your Competitive Edge

If you would like to contribute an idea for an up coming article or want more information about the many services I provide including The Leadership Team Challenge, please visit my web site at www.PsCompetitiveEdge.com.