Friday Review: Accountability

FRIDAY REVIEW: ACCOUNTABILITY

What level of accountability do you hold, personally or professionally?  Here are a few accountability-related posts you may have missed.

 

“Be sure to taste your words before you spit them out.”

 

 

 

 

“The next move is yours.”

 

 

 

 

“Quarrels would not last long if the fault were only on one side.”

 

 

 

“Is this necessary?”

“Is this necessary?”

—Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor from 161 to 180

How often do you feel or hear yourself telling others that you are busy, slammed, and overwhelmed with all the demands of life? How often do you ever get to the bottom of your to-do list with energy left over to spend as you wish?

We all crave some wiggle room and respite in our days to recharge, renew, and even play. Many don’t let themselves play until all the work is done — and it rarely is.

EXERCISE:

Write the question, “Is this necessary?” on a few post-it notes places in strategic spots at home and at work. Now capture all those past to-do items that end up your ‘to-don’t-do” list. Share this list with others to support your new intentions and accountability.

 

“The next move is yours.”

“The next move is yours.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Robert Coelho

Imagine your life as a board game that involves successfully navigating different frontiers or territories in order to win.

The frontiers are:

  • Optimal health
  • Quality relationships
  • Professional achievement
  • Contributions to your community
  • Spirituality, faith, religion
  • Family
  • Life balance and peace of mind

EXERCISE:

Where are you falling behind, keeping up, or ahead of your current expectation for yourself?

What is your next move in these and other priority areas of your life?

Consider picking up a copy of Seth Godin’s book What to Do When it’s Your Turn to help you see and pursue your next move.

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”

—Robert Swan, OBE, FRGS—first person to walk to both Poles

Image from Unsplash by The New York Public Library

How are you personally coming to the rescue of planet Earth?

How aware are you of the significant impact we have on our beautiful world?

In the business world, we look at adding more revenue through various channels, making wise and progressive investments, and of course, we conserve resources and reduce waste wherever possible.

What if Earth was a business and all people, all organizations, and all nations became optimal stewards of the planet, so that Earth could truly be, as Jim Collins said, Built to Last?

EXERCISE:

How are you currently acting as a loyal and caring steward to our planet? In what new and expanded ways can and will you take greater responsibility and accountability to safeguard our collective home?

“Live a gentle, human-sized life.”

“Live a gentle, human-sized life.”

—Will Kestrel, kestralcreek.com

Image from Unsplash by Henning Witzel

Did you know that the United States population of 328,748,284 represents just 4.27% of the world population?

Despite our modest population footprint, the U.S. consumes 24% of the world’s energy, one third of the paper, and 27% of the aluminum.

If you do the math and all people around the world consumed resources as we do, we would need about six planet earths. Given the increasing global population and the fact that all nations are on a journey towards greater prosperity and quality of life, how can this continue?

EXERCISE:

Mahatma Gandhi once said that the world has enough for everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed. What actions can and will you take – starting today – to live a more gentle, human-sized life?

No one wants to hear everything that’s in your head

“No one wants to hear everything that’s in your head. They just want you to live up to what comes out of your mouth.”

—Adam Grant, American psychologist and author

Image of a person holding a megaphone

Image from Unsplash by Clem Onojeghuo

Who are the blabbermouths in your life? Who are the people who go on and on about their ideas, beliefs, and opinions, and never seem to take a breath? How do you feel around them?

To what degree might people in your world place you on their list of those who are more focused on being interesting rather than interested?

What makes these individuals even more troublesome is that on many, if not most, occasions, they appear to be all talk and very little action.

EXERCISE:

Who are the people in your life who are impeccable with their words? How would your life be enhanced if you and others lived up to what comes out of your mouth more often?

Consider reading or re-reading The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz for some added wisdom on this topic.

Friday Review of Posts on Accountability

FRIDAY REVIEW: ACCOUNTABILITY

How do you hold yourself and others accountable? Here are a few accountability-related posts you may have missed. Click the links to read the full messages.

 

“Don’t ever stray away from yourself to get closer to someone else.”

 

 

 

“You cannot talk your way out of something you behaved yourself into.”

 

 

 

“Quarrels would not last long if the fault were only on one side.”

 

 

 

When You Say YES to Others

“When you say, ‘YES’ to others, make sure you are not saying, ‘NO’ to yourself.”

—Paulo Coelho, Brazilian Author

Image of Book Cover

Throughout the seven years I’ve been writing The Quotable Coach blog, I’ve posted numerous times about saying, “Yes” and “No” to requests made by others in our personal and professional communities.

To add a bit more bite to this subject, I’d like to add the words, “Oh,” “Heck,” and even “Hell” before the No’s and Yeses, to see if it creates a bigger shift in how you react and what you agree to do.

EXERCISE:

Where would saying, “Hell No!” to others and “Hell Yes!” to yourself a few more times make the biggest difference in your world?

You may consider using the concepts from the book, The Power of a Positive No by William Ury to find more polite ways to communicate your decision.

Watch What You Say Life Might be Listening

“Watch what you say. Life might be listening.”

—Author Unknown

Image of a calculator and a balance sheet

Image from rentvine.com

Imagine you are given a special bank account when you are an infant, just learning to speak and understand language.

What you don’t know at the time is that the words you speak and hear have a form of value or credit to them. Some words contribute to your net worth, others drain and deplete your reserves. Some may even put you in debt, or a form of life bankruptcy.

Pay particular attention today to the words you speak and hear, personally and professionally. Notice how much value and wealth you create for yourself and others.

EXERCISE:

How can you fully listen and tune into the powerful and value-packed words of others? How can you more fully contribute to others by generously sharing only the richest and choicest thoughts?