Tag Accept Responsibility for Your Action

It’s Not My Fault

Steve Keating 3 Comments

“It’s not my fault” are some of the most dangerous words a person can string together. They cause a ton of damage to your relationships, to your ability to lead and to your personal ability to learn and grow.

 

When you’re in sales and something goes wrong you can’t say it’s not my fault. You have to accept responsibility or you damage the credibility of others in your organization. To me accepting responsibility for the mistakes or failings of someone else is one of the greatest challenges a professional salesperson must face. It’s not easy to stand in front of an angry customer and be chewed out for something someone else did. 

 

It is easier however when you stop trying to assign blame for a problem and start looking for solutions to the problem. The fact is, no matter who’s “fault” it is you as a salesperson are responsible. You sold the product and whatever outcome, good or bad, comes with it. Trying to offload responsibility for it makes you look less like a professional and more like a mere product peddler. 

 

When you’re a leader and something goes wrong you definitely can’t say it’s not my fault. Blaming your people for mistakes or problems will damage your credibility with everyone, not only the person you’re blaming.

 

The truth is that if you have a person that is mistake prone, or someone who is underperforming in their role it IS your responsibility as a leader. Either you’re not providing the person with the training and tools they need to succeed or you’ve put them in a role where they can’t excel. Both those circumstances are your responsibility. 

 

If you have the audacity to call yourself a leader then you must accept the awesome responsibility that comes with it. One of the major responsibilities of leadership is ensuring the success of the people you lead. 

 

The most successful people, in any walk of life, care less about assigning blame for a fault. They care more about finding solutions to any problems caused by the fault. 

 

“It’s, not, my, and fault” are incredibly destructive words when strung together. They limit the potential of the person speaking them. Those words together cause the person speaking them to accept their circumstances and walk away from potential growth opportunities. Those words, when strung together have never been known to solve anything.


When anyone says “it’s not my fault” someone loses. All too often the person who says it loses the most. Remove that combination of words from your vocabulary and your entire outlook will improve for the better. 


Is the Drinkin’ Doing Your Thinkin’?

Steve Keating 6 Comments

This is the kind of post that shouldn’t even need to be written anymore but sadly there are still some people who just don’t “get it.” I also don’t want to sound like I’m “preaching” here so please understand I’m not using a “holier than thou” voice while I’m writing this. 

 

We can best sum up the post like this: Getting hammered at company and industry events just ain’t what it used to be. Actually, getting hammered anywhere and any time isn’t too cool anymore. 

 

Drinking to excess over long periods of time wrecks lives. It just does. If you have convinced yourself otherwise then you may need some help because it’s likely that your drinking is doing at least some of your thinking. 

 

While drinking over a long period of time wrecks lives it takes only a single night of slamming back shots to destroy a career. In fact professionally speaking almost nothing can ruin a career faster. 

 

I’m not looking to be a killjoy. It is possible to keep the good times rolling AND minimize the chance of becoming company or industry folklore for years to come.

     

If you have a work/social situation coming up where you’d prefer not to avoid alcohol altogether then consider slowing your pace of drinking. Alternate your drinks with soda or water throughout the event or eat more food and consume drinks or beer with less alcohol.  

 

Here’s a couple of alcohol quick facts to consider:

  • Generally… one 12-ounce beer = one 5-ounce glass of wine = 1.5 ounces of liquor (80 proof)
  • Wine usually has an alcohol content of 12 – 16%
  • Beer in most cases, has an alcohol content of 3.2 – 7%
  • As little as 1 – 2 drinks in one hour can impair an individual’s ability to drive and think clearly (depending on weight and alcohol content)
  • Only time can sober up someone

If you’re thinking “you can handle” your liquor “better” than the next person that’s the drinkin’ doing your thinkin’. 

 

If you think you “can make it home” without the cops stopping you that’s the drinkin’ doing your thinkin’. (Besides the cops are the least of your problems, killing someone else or yourself is where your concern should be)

 

If you think no one will notice your altered behavior then that’s your drinkin’ doing your thinkin’. Maybe you should ask to see the videos….yes, everyone has a video camera these days. 

 

If you think your colleagues or coworkers won’t be talking behind your back the next day that is your drinkin’ doing your thinkin’ BIG TIME! 


Your character is always on display. Think about that and try to remember, if there’s too much drinkin’ then there is almost certainly too little thinkin’.