Accountability and responsibility are two important qualities for a credible leader to possess.  A leader is a person who is believable, dependable, and worthy of people’s trust and confidence.

Ray Allen credited a culture of accountability for helping the Celtics win the NBA title, saying:

“We held each other accountable to get on the floor every time there was a loose ball and to help in rotation when somebody was beat.  We didn’t expect any less from Paul Pierce, and they didn’t expect less out of me.  Kevein Garnett was out of position on defense we let him know, and everybody followed suit.  It was that accountability all year long that helped us win the NBA championship.”

Accepting responsibility earns you respect.  We can’t be perfect all the time and we all make mistakes.  When we accept responsibility we are accepting the blame for our actions and also accepting the responsibility for making improvements.

Accepting responsibility is a measure of ones self-worth, their level of security, and the true sign of strength and courage.  It will empower you to grow in ways that bring you great rewards and accomplishments in your life.

Who would you have greater respect for, a person who takes responsibility for his actions, owns up to it and promises to do it better in the future, or someone who perpetually denies any involvement in situations when it’s obvious they may be responsible?