Being on the Right Side of Accountability

“For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” – Newton’s Third Law, Sir Isaac Newton

Newton’s Third Law translated into everyday English means that in every interaction there are a pair of forces acting on the two interacting objects. The force acting on each object is equal and the direction of the force on each object is the opposite of the other. Forces come in pairs. Choices come in pairs. Shoes come in pairs. You cannot select one without making a choice for (or against) the other. Accountability is the state of being accountable or responsible. It’s the willingness to answer to another or others for actions or outcomes. Not being accountable or responsible is resistance to or unwillingness to be responsible for actions. Like Newton’s Third Law, accountability brings with it the choice between opposing forces. With accountability there is a right side and a wrong side. In this blog post, we’ll briefly explore the ramifications of choosing either side.

For the better part of my life or as long as I can remember, I’ve lived my life being accountable. I guess I learned early on it was ultimately better to accept the risk associated with telling the truth, owning-up and taking responsibility. Yes, I said accept the risk because there is risk in taking responsibility too. I can specifically recall losing friends, romantic relationships and even having my loyalties questioned. Lol. I must admit that fear of the most undesirable repercussions was the motivation for living a life of uprightness, not necessarily the negative outcomes I just mentioned. I grew up in a moderately strict home with parents who were from the south. They did not play. Lying, stealing, breaking the rules all came with negative consequences in the Jones household. Yet it wasn’t even my upbringing that kept me fully on the straight and narrow. I learned when I became a young adult that I would be judged as an individual by others and by God. I learned that I had free will to decide which path I would take in life. We all make the choice of which path to take every moment of everyday if you think about it. As hard as it may be at times, I actively choose to live a life of accountability.

I’m not here to tell you that there’s a tangible reward to be obtained when you stand up for the right thing or tell the truth but what I can tell you is that making the choice to live a life of accountability has caused me to live my life at a higher standard in general. I am more patient with people, and I show more compassion toward others. I have greater sight for the humanity in a situation. I see people for who they are, and I have a greater capacity to understand why we do what we do as human beings. Being accountable is hard. It’s the concept of seeing others having a good time and getting ahead all while not making good choices or operating unethically. Sometimes you lose when being accountable or so it seems. It’s like a long marathon. Over time, in the long run, you win. You win with good character, self-respect, confidence and the respect of others. You become the go-to for a listening ear or sound advice. The reward for choosing to be accountable isn’t a physical prize but the return on investment in your own life is more than ten-fold.

On the flip side, accountability may be overrated. Human nature suggests we pursue self-interest and self-preservation first. The risk associated with choosing to retreat rather than take responsibility seems to be lower for some with the goal being to get from underneath the spotlight of scrutiny. However, so much more is sacrificed in character, the person you are when no one is looking. If we’re unwilling to be responsible in our work or our personal dealings, how much more are we willing to sacrifice just to avoid the hot seat. What else are you willing to do? I’d guess, anything.

In my years on the planet, I’ve found that being accountable or responsible doesn’t always have an immediate payoff. Over time, the choices that I’ve made have built my character and given me the confidence to take on great responsibilities and interact with people in a different way. No regrets here. When I consider the alternative to stepping up, I realize that my future and the way others see me could be impacted in a negative way. No matter the outcome, you can’t go wrong when choosing to be on the right side of accountability. Which side are you on?

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