In this episode of Meet My Potential, we have an enlightening conversation with Sam House of the Coaches Training Institute about a leader taking responsibility for their world. Different industries may have different opinions about leaders’ areas of responsibility inside and outside their areas of authority, but Sam provides us with a practical way for all industries to think about this topic that can be beneficial across the board. A leader may also feel like they can segment their responsibilities to work responsibilities and family responsibilities, but Sam presents a compelling argument for viewing every single interaction as an opportunity to practice responsibility to all of mankind.

What Is Responsibility? What Isn’t It?

Taking responsibility means owning your part of the effort by co-creating to reach your common goal. On the other hand, neglecting to take responsibility for your world often manifests as finger-pointing or claiming of victimhood by those who have been wronged by others or blaming others for things not going as expected. Not taking responsibility is like blaming others for the state of your experience rather than steping forward and owning your part of the responsibility of your experience.

What would taking responsibility look like?

For instance when one walks through their world, they are more conscious of their thoughts, their way of expression, their actions and ultimately aware that they are having an impact on their world. So one takes a more conscientious approach to the expression of their behaviour. For example it can show up in practical ways like, when you checks out of a grocery store you might engage with the cashier in a way that you see the other person as a humans (someone who has important and valuable contribution) and not as an object.

What Does It Mean to Be Response-Able?

Being response-able means being conscious of others and able to provide a thoughtful response to their thoughts or behaviors. By being aware of the impact leaders and those around them can have on each other, both parties can create an appropriate response based on these ideals of consciousness and thoughtfulness. Engaging with your world in this way removes from you the feeling that you need to control your environment, which can feel burdensome and lead you down a path of overvaluing your own ego at the expense of your view of others.

What Is My “World”?

Sam spoke about a book by Lynne McTaggart entitled “The Field” in which he unpacks the concept that no matter how much quantum physicists study, they cannot understand the aspects of time and space. Simply, this means that everything in the physical world is immediately available and accessible to everyone and the thoughts and actions of leaders can have influences far beyond the “world” that they feel is theirs.

How Do We Differentiate Control from Responsibility?

We must come to understand that we can be responsible for our world while not thinking, acting, or feeling as if we must control it.

By accepting that you are able to control very little of your environment and removing control from your definition of responsibility, you are free to focus on caring and concern rather than feeling the pressure to bring about your desired outcome. In a sense, we are all co-creating the world that we are living in, so our responsibility to ourselves and others is to be self-aware and intentionally recognize others for their contribution to the world. A great way to be in touch with this self-awareness is through prayer or meditation, to be in touch with your true self and understand your ability to reach others.

Relevant links:

Being Fully Responsible but Not in Control

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