Being Responsible

Being Responsible at Work – Is it My Job?

Being responsible at work is one of the issues employers need to grapple. This is because far too many employees refuse to budge and take on what is deemed not to be their responsibility. Is it possible to demarcate responsibilities clearly in the workplace? Are you one of the employees that constantly asks – is it my job?

In the wake of books and experts out there extolling the ways to short cut your way to success and climb higher, I feel there is a need for me to balance the view by saying, there is value in doing more and risk the chance of not even climbing at all. I think all these boils down to character.

1. Be Adaptable
Be responsible at work by being adaptable. This means to be able to take on more things at short notices, do work not listed in your job description and fill in the gaps when it exists.

You need not be rigid to distinguish what is yours and what is not yours. Eventually, it all links back to you. How can you expect the company to do well, if people do not step up to the plate when the situation calls for it? Adopt a stance of adaptability. That is being responsible at work.

2.Generosity – Give Where You Can
I have always stressed this. Give in, give out. Just plain give. I am not talking about money. It involves giving a little more of your time to help a colleague struggling at work. It can be giving some effort to coach the junior at work. It can be giving knowledge to a senior unfamiliar with certain tasks. It can even be as simple as giving the right directions as to where the solution can be found. You are rich if you can give. If you have a lot to give and are willing to do so, then the question of "is it my job" will not exist.

3.Energy – You Are Required To Bring It To Work
At its most basic, you are paid for your energy and time to come to work. So, being responsible means just that, bring your energy to work. I don’t know of a workplace where the bosses and colleagues enjoy seeing someone who comes to work listless. I consider that a basic at being responsible at work, at the very least give your boss the energy from you that they paid you for. If you don’t like how much you are paid, then quit. Or ask for raise. Regardless, that is being responsible to yourself too.

4.Engaging – Connect For Collaboration And Cooperation
You cannot expect to isolate yourself and hope to get work done. The working world does not work like that. You cannot say, I hate all my colleagues and boss and still expect to be responsible. All your work revolves around everyone else's work too. You are expected to be engaging.

Now, I am not saying go be super friendly to everyone. But at the very least, being responsible means connect with people. Be friendly so you can secure whatever collaboration and cooperation from other colleagues and departments when the task calls for it.

5.Discipline – The Art Of Joyful Forcing
I know, this is another common theme with me. You cannot discuss being responsible without discussing discipline. To be responsible also means to be disciplined enough to see an excellent job through to its completion. You do not give yourself excuses to laze, to delay and to procrastinate. You do the job that needs to be done no matter how tough, willingly. That is being responsible – the discipline of not giving excuses.

6.Creativity – Ideas Build Careers
Is it my job? If your answer is that it is not and you walk away from more responsibilities, then you have missed out big time to practice creativity. Creativity lets you bring out ideas that can improve a company’s processes. When assigned with work you deem not in your job scope, take it up. Look for better ways to complete the work. You may just surprise the boss.

Being responsible at work is all about your character. If you want to climb higher up the ranks, start to think like the boss and take more responsibilities.

Can I recommend this? Invest in a copy of 101 Great Ways to Enhance Your Career. I am a contributing author together with the world's 100 other career experts. It will help you answer a lot of career questions you have and make a great gift for yourself or your colleague. Check it out here.

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