Responsibility (noun) - the state of being held as the cause of something that needs to be set right.
There are aspects of true leadership which are messy and unflattering. Often leadership is bearing a load of pressure and demands. If done right, pursuit of these aspects will elevate those in your care and help them excel at the tasks and duties set before them. Being responsible is one of those leadership aspects. Taking responsibility does not guarantee short-term success. Sometimes taking responsibility for things which have gone wrong can be emotionally painful and leave you vulnerable. This does not change how it is the right thing to do.
We can take this to the extreme, which is not helpful either. If my team fails to achieve an objective, I must start by looking at what I could have done differently (did I provide adequate training and preparation, did I lead by example, did I lead from the front?). At the same time, it is not helpful if I coddle those who did not step up and I fail to hold them accountable for their actions.
There is a balance. If I do not start with myself and where I need to grow, take responsibility, and seek improvement then I fail to lead. Well balanced leadership is not something completed or accomplished, but something constantly pursued. A principle key to balanced leadership starts with taking responsibility.
People who take responsibility are often seen with at least these 4 characteristics
They get the job done - no excuses. Sometimes there needs to be a resetting of a timeline or expectations, but they get the job done
They go the extra mile - help a team mate out. If I tell a cohort, “that is your job, not mine”, I am not helping. Sometimes we all need someone to come along side to give us a hand up, as we strive to achieve the next level of excellence and accomplishment. How much am I willing to help those in need as they strive towards their own aspirations?
They are driven by excellence - perfectionists are not needed. Perfection is the enemy of excellence. If I expect perfection then those around me will not achieve greatness as I will be discouraging mistakes along the way. The pursuit of excellence will be filled with physical, emotional, and mental bumps, bruises, scrapes, and mishaps. That is how people make progress. I need to be modeling and encouraging the pursuit of excellence.
The produce results without regard to the situation - just get things done. Perhaps I did not lead my team to achieve the ultimate goal, but did we make progress and outperform our past selves? Did I get the tasks completed, Did I help my team grow and produce positive results?
Taking responsibility is about owning the need to improve. If I am to be responsible for those in my care, I need to find a way to elevate their performance. How am I doing that? Beating them down, and discouraging them is not helping. However, giving them a pass on not making enough effort is not good either. I need to be responsible for providing others with the tools, encouragement, discipline, and care it takes for them to succeed. I need to give them the praise when they have done a great job and achieved outstanding results. Only then am I on the right path of taking appropriate responsibility as I strive to lead well.