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Accountability

In: Miscellaneous

Submitted By jusmith13
Words 578
Pages 3
INTRODUCTION
What is accountability? The definition states: The obligation imposed by law or lawful order or regulation on an officer or other person for keeping accurate record of property, documents, or funds. The person having this obligation may or may not have actual possession of the property, documents, or funds. Being accountable means being dependable-arriving to work and appointments on time, meeting deadlines, being in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing at the right time. Accountability is a valuable piece of life. We as humans are accountable for every action we take and every decision we make. To be an effective leader you must understand the power of accepting responsibility for the results you create. When something goes wrong or does not turn out the way you wanted it to, a leader possess the skills to be held accountable for what they may have done to cause this problem. Once you can accept responsibility for what went wrong you can spend more time on finishing a goal versus more time placing the blame on others. Personal accountability is the key to success in both our personal and professional lives.
BODY
One of the issues facing police throughout time is the issue of police accountability. When the police are doing a “good job” in the public’s eye, no one has complaints or questions how things are done but the minute a situation arises that is out of the ordinary or one that is manipulated by the media there is public outcry and the allegations start challenging the integrity of the police department involved. Accountability is a concept in ethics with several meanings. It is often used synonymously with such concepts as answerability, responsibility, blameworthiness, liability and other terms associated with the expectation of account-giving. As an aspect of governance, it has been central to discussions related to problems in both the public and private (corporation) worlds. At its root, accountability involves either the expectation or assumption of account-giving behavior. For some people it is extremely hard to take accountability for their actions. They refuse to take responsibility for what they have done. As a child our parents teach us that when we do something wrong we are punished for it. As adults we are less prone to take that responsibility if we do something wrong, be it at work or at home. This may be because of a sense of humiliation that we might feel coming from a boss or significant other. This feeling may also stem from a sense of pride a person may feel. They may say “Why should I explain myself to you” or “I don’t have to tell you anything”. Those adults who often times tend not to take responsibility for what happens are seen by most as being weak or inefficient.

CONCLUSION
Don't lie to yourself. Take a daily look at the reality of your situation and use truth as a motivator. Not only is a lie hard to remember, but even tiny untruths build on each other and can become your agent of destruction. If more adults in this world today took accountability for the actions they make, the world would be a better place. Our future leaders would be more well rounded and prepared for a more successful life. “Life is so much better when we shed the victim thinking and simply choose the path of personal accountability.”
-John G. Miller

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