What is accountability?

The dictionary definition is “The condition of being responsible”.

How can self-accountability impact your life in a positive light?

Imagine this common scenario; someone says they will do something, perform a task, help you out, and then they don’t do it, or they do it badly. It’s frustrating. You end up having to do it yourself. You tell yourself, if you want a job done right, then you must do it yourself. You feel angry and let down. You end up having to do the work yourself anyway AND you end up taking on the responsibility of the task. The other person gets a “free ride”, as such.

We have all been there. However, it’s time to stop the hamster wheel. Being caught in this spin only ever builds resentment, not success, and eventually you’ll burn yourself out.

Instead, try this approach. Walk away from the situation for a little while. Catch your breath and do some deep breathing. Then ask yourself the following questions:

1) Was it a fair task for the person, and did they have the right tools to do the job?

2) Do I like things done in a particular way (because it is rare other people can emulate that).

3) Look deep inside and ask yourself, do you like it when people get things wrong, because then you have some sort of superiority of thinking that no one else is a good at <insert task name> as you? (Perhaps you need to do some work around self-worth in that case).

Asking these questions can bring about self-insight. Self-reflection helps you to understand your part in the situation. For instance, perhaps you didn’t choose the right person for the job maybe, or your expectations around timelines or standards were unrealistic? Maybe we just need to believe that other people can always do a good job when armed with the right tools, attitude and expectation.

It could just be that they just need to understand that you WON’T be stepping into the task to finish it, and that you will be holding them accountable to finish the task designated.

When we hold people (and ourselves) accountable, you change the energy around the task.

Breaking this cycle is paramount to our own health – being stuck in a pattern or a rut impacts your emotional health, which in turn affects your physical wellbeing.

If you want to understand your approach to tasks, drop me an email on emmavmanning@live.com and I will email over the Feel to Achieve Matrix. This free, easy to use system is designed to help you understand how you prioritise your daily tasks and the impact on your time and wellbeing.