Take Responsibility for your Actions

Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying, "Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle."  Five years into the financial crisis, we still hear people, particularly in politics, talking as though it is just a matter of time before the economy picks up and we return to a world similar to that we saw in 2006.

In business, we'll also hear people complaining that the recession makes it impossible for them to do what they want to.

John Coleman in the Harvard Business Review takes aim at this attitude.

Help is not coming. The responsibility is yours, and it starts with developing a belief or habit of mind that you, as an individual, are accountable for the quality and timeliness of an outcome, even when you're working with others. It doesn't always mean you have authority over a project. Nor does it mean that you shouldn't involve others. But it does mean you own the obligation to take action and deliver results.

It's up to you to make change and take responsibility for outcomes in your professional life. What are you waiting for?