Your ActionsYour ActionsObjectivesObjectives::* Understand that you are * Understand that you are responsible for your own responsible for your own actions.actions.

Personal responsibility for One’s Personal responsibility for One’s ActionsActions

The third thing leaders are The third thing leaders are responsible for is their responsible for is their actionsactions or or behaviorsbehaviors..

Why is this important for leaders?Why is this important for leaders?

Why?Why? We often like to blame others for our own We often like to blame others for our own

mishaps or failures, but this is an unhealthy mishaps or failures, but this is an unhealthy practice. practice. We do it because of our concerns about We do it because of our concerns about what others will think about uswhat others will think about us..

But there remains little doubt that one of the But there remains little doubt that one of the toughest obstacles leaders have to overcome is toughest obstacles leaders have to overcome is this tendency to this tendency to “pass the blame”“pass the blame” on to on to someone or something else.someone or something else.

For leaders, it shouldn’t be “pass the buck”, it For leaders, it shouldn’t be “pass the buck”, it should be “the buck stops here!”should be “the buck stops here!”

It takes courage to accept responsibility for our It takes courage to accept responsibility for our own actions, but this is a characteristic of true own actions, but this is a characteristic of true leadership.leadership.

How do you respond?How do you respond?

You skip school with several other You skip school with several other students. All of you are sent to the students. All of you are sent to the principal’s office.principal’s office.

You and another student cheat on a You and another student cheat on a test together and get caught by the test together and get caught by the teacher.teacher.

Have you ever…?Have you ever…?

……said to your brothers or sisters, said to your brothers or sisters, “You make me so mad!”“You make me so mad!”

What kinds of things did they do to What kinds of things did they do to make you so angry?make you so angry?

So, you’re saying that you had no So, you’re saying that you had no control?...that you were somehow control?...that you were somehow ““forcedforced” to get angry at them?” to get angry at them?

You know, I wonder why, instead of getting You know, I wonder why, instead of getting angry and yelling at them, we don’t angry and yelling at them, we don’t instead say something such as: instead say something such as: “When you act that way it makes me feel sorry for you.”

……or…or… ““Is there something I could do to be a Is there something I could do to be a

better example for you?”better example for you?” Why, I wonder, aren’t we having feelings Why, I wonder, aren’t we having feelings

of compassion for them rather than of compassion for them rather than screaming at the top of our lungs and screaming at the top of our lungs and beating them up?beating them up?

Are we selfish?Are we selfish?

Don’t you think it has something to Don’t you think it has something to do with how selfish we can be?do with how selfish we can be?

What do you think? What do you think?

What do you think?What do you think?

How can somebody else really make How can somebody else really make me mad?me mad?

““Nobody can make me mad… I Nobody can make me mad… I choose to be mad.”choose to be mad.”

Who decides whether or not I get Who decides whether or not I get mad?mad?

I do!I do! The truth is, whether we like it or not, The truth is, whether we like it or not,

we are responsible for our behavior. we are responsible for our behavior. If someone pulls out in front of me…I If someone pulls out in front of me…I choosechoose my response! my response!

If someone attacks a member of my If someone attacks a member of my family…I family…I choosechoose how I will react! how I will react!

Whose taking responsibility for their actions? Whose taking responsibility for their actions? What examples to you see?What examples to you see?

Our society is changing to where people no long take Our society is changing to where people no long take responsibility for their actions.responsibility for their actions.

Lawyers get rich while doctors and insurance Lawyers get rich while doctors and insurance companies have to charge higher rates because of companies have to charge higher rates because of the law suits being filed.the law suits being filed.

Federal and state governments subsidize pregnant Federal and state governments subsidize pregnant teens through abortion, as well as teen mothers teens through abortion, as well as teen mothers through entitlements, depending on the individual’s through entitlements, depending on the individual’s choice for her child.choice for her child.

Kids steal and then say that the victim should have Kids steal and then say that the victim should have taken better care of their stuff.taken better care of their stuff.

Despite all of this, we are ultimately held Despite all of this, we are ultimately held accountable for ALL our actions because that is how accountable for ALL our actions because that is how life really works.life really works.

The results are felt in how it feels to live our lives. The results are felt in how it feels to live our lives. Do we feel secure and safe? Happy and content? OR Do we feel secure and safe? Happy and content? OR insecure and unhappy?insecure and unhappy?

Whose hand is this?Whose hand is this?

It’s mine, and I’m in charge of what it It’s mine, and I’m in charge of what it does!does!

I’m in charge of three things:I’m in charge of three things:– My thoughtsMy thoughts– My attitudesMy attitudes– My actions!My actions!

What if you want to run for office? People What if you want to run for office? People who oppose you are going to accuse you who oppose you are going to accuse you and abuse you something fierce!and abuse you something fierce!

They’ll dig up every piece of dirt they can They’ll dig up every piece of dirt they can find, call your mother names, and question find, call your mother names, and question your heritage!your heritage!

Now, if you start acting the same way Now, if you start acting the same way toward them, what am I going to say to toward them, what am I going to say to you?you?

I’m going to say…”…don’t do that! You I’m going to say…”…don’t do that! You have a choice! Don’t act that way!”have a choice! Don’t act that way!”

We are held responsible…even if We are held responsible…even if we don’t want to be responsible.we don’t want to be responsible.

Life can be difficult! Life can be difficult!

Who’sWho’s in charge of how YOU handle in charge of how YOU handle it?it?

Get up!Get up! Line up.Line up. Fold line in half.Fold line in half. With the partner across from you, take With the partner across from you, take

turns answering the following question:turns answering the following question:– If you brother, sister, or friend does something If you brother, sister, or friend does something

that irritates you, how can you handle the that irritates you, how can you handle the situation? What can you situation? What can you choosechoose to do? to do?

Loop the line around 4 people to the left Loop the line around 4 people to the left and take turns answering the following:and take turns answering the following:– Why is having the courage to accept Why is having the courage to accept

responsibility so important to a leader?responsibility so important to a leader?