“Ability is important in our quest for success, but dependability is critical.”
Zig Ziglar
Notable Quotes
“If your actions don’t live up to your words, you have nothing to say.”
DaShanne Stokes
“Dependability is more important than talent. Dependability is a talent, and it is a talent all can have. It makes no difference how much ability we possess if we are not responsible and dependable.”
Floy L. Bennett
8 Ways to Become the Most Reliable Person in the Room By Lee Colan
1. Manage Commitments. Ask yourself if a commitment is a high priority for you. Focus on timelines (when work gets done) versus deadlines (when work is due). Know when to say no.
2. Proactively Communicate. If you make a promise that you can't meet because of truly terrible and unforeseen circumstances, let the person know as soon as possible.
3. Start and Finish. The best way to finish strong is to start strong. Keeping your word or simply doing the right thing is rarely convenient, so reliable people let their actions rise above their excuses.
4. Excel Daily. Implement daily disciplines to sharpen your focus, and strive for everyday excellence. Excellence does not equal perfection (which can be a barrier to reliability).
5. Be Truthful. Be full of truth-tell the full truth. Does everything you use to communicate tell the full truth? If not, you are a source of unreliable information.
6. Respect Time, Yours and Others'. If you tell someone you can meet at a certain time, you have made a promise. Being on time shows others that you are a person of your word.
7. Value Your Values. Your values should dictate your behavior, not your circumstances or fleeting feelings. Being a reliable person not only means doing what you say, it also means doing what is right, regardless of what you have committed to.
8. Use Your BEST Team. Ensure they offer the energy, truth, and positive perspective you need to orchestrate your actions. Your BEST team can help you: Hone your self-awareness. Depend on your team to give you truthful, constructive feedback to keep your beliefs based in reality. Affirm that your actions are aligned with your values. By giving you a chance to help them. As the proverb says, "In teaching others, we teach ourselves." Rehearse challenging situations before you go live.
The Oz Principle by by Roger Connors, Tom Smith, Craig Hickman --Getting Results through Accountability
Above The Line, Below the Line. A thin line separates failure and success, greatness and mediocrity.
Above The Line, you'll find the Steps to Accountability which include in chronological order: See It, Own It, Solve It, and Do It. The first step, See It, means acknowledging the problem; to Own It is to assume responsibility for the problem and the results; Solve It means to formulate solutions to remedy the situation; and, as a culminating step, Do It commands the practical application of the solutions identified.
Below The Line is where the self-professed victims play. The Blame Game. Here, crippling attitudes such as Wait and See, Confusion/Tell Me What To Do, It's Not My Job, Ignore/Deny, Finger Pointing, and Cover Your Tail are rampant. Though majority of the people found in this dimension are weak in accountability, this does not mean that very accountable individuals are exempt from falling Below The Line.
Additional Reading
Accountability: The Key to Driving a High-Performance Culture by Greg Bustin
The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual and Organizational Accountability By Roger Connors, Tom Smith, and Craig Hickman
Point of Reflection
“A man who lacks reliability is utterly useless.”
Confucius