Growing with accountability fosters foresight and forwardness.
Accountability is never extra baggage, no matter in what role you are.
In my childhood, it was difficult to comprehend how parents were anxious to keep their dependents smiling, meeting their requirements of play items, sets of books, attending functions, fancy dresses, and many other conveniences.
No excuse for anything to keep kids happy.
I was aware of constraints in my family environment, but I never found parents or elders lagging in fulfilling necessities instantly in my childhood.
Coming to the rank as they were then, I came to realize that their concern was responsibility, and my concern was just my necessities at that time.
Simultaneously, it was a learning time for me about priorities, adjustment, affection, regulation, sacrifice, and allowing responsibility to grow in the family, societal, or group setting.
I have witnessed that families, growing haphazardly, particularly lacking responsibility, were disorganized and living with avoidable troubles.
"Accountability is a statement of personal promise, both to yourself and to the people around you, to deliver specific, defined results." Brian Dive
Thus, accountability is a vision statement for any individual to lead a family, business setup, organization, or social role, and only such individuals deliver.
It is a misconception that taking responsibility is not an intelligent decision where both performers and nonperformers are equally rewarded.
A story goes like this:
A king ordered to fill up a covered pond with milk. Nothing was visible from outside except a small point to pour milk into the pond. The residents were smart enough. One by one, they started filling up the pond silently with water in the morning, believing that others had already poured milk or were in the queue with milk. Finally, it was revealed that the pond was filled with water only.
All individuals thought that this "tact" was only in their minds. One bucket of water can’t be detected if a hundred buckets of milk are poured into the pond within the prescribed time.
It is an example of a collapse of commitment.
It is an example of how to behave irresponsibly.
It was a scene of befooling others, but ultimately, they were classified as unreliable by the king on a mass scale.
The residents were fully exposed, and they all lost trust in the eye of the king for a single act of "befooling.".
There are organizations where people are paid equally, though they differ in giving the outputs. It happens.
However, mixing rewards with personal growth adds to the confusion.
Where there is a responsibility, people get confidence, respect, higher responsibility, and overall recognition.
Performers know what matters most for them. It is the future, not only perks.
Further
In any role, the aspect of vulnerability is there. There is a sufficient possibility of getting blamed or criticized.
Just imagine how a team is nurtured and leaders play a role, leaving no loopholes in the wholeness of striking against the opposite.
Take the case of a family. How the element of responsibility keeps the members as a single unit.
It is a sense of responsibility that makes all the difference.
"The moment you take responsibility for everything in your life is a moment you can change anything in your life." Hal Elrod
Where responsibility is divided, blame gets space to dominate.
In any assignment, you have to contribute 💯%, not less, in any condition.
As a student or entrepreneur, if you are fully dependent on others to wake up in the morning, keeping bathrooms in order and getting shoes shined reflects deficiencies in the orbit of your responsibility.
You have to take responsibility for the consequences of what you act, say, or promote.
"It is not only what we do but also what we don’t do for which we are accountable." Moliere
Taking responsibility means taking all precautions to land safely at a point of landing, as a pilot does.
Your assignment may be small, like preparing breakfast. Even then, irresponsible behavior may destroy everything in a moment.
A responsible individual examines all aspects thoroughly, outlines barriers in advance, and has the arrangements to deal with such situations.
Accountability enhances decision-making power, looking to the risks and vulnerability involved.
Sometimes, something may go wrong. It does not mean hiding behind the curtain will produce any goodness to our lives.
