Assuming Responsibility

(Extracted from Mike Holt's new Leadership Skills book).

If you want to be successful you have to have the ability to assume responsibility and be open to taking ownership of new projects that come your way.

If a person gives you a task, it clearly means they’re confident in your ability to see it through to completion. They’re trusting in you to figure it out and do it the best way you can. When a new task comes your way, you might not be that willing to take it on; it might even feel like an intrusion—you’re already busy. However, part of growth and being good at your job is embracing new tasks and responsibilities and you need to realize that doing so shows a willingness to grow. Sometimes it can be uncomfortable and stressful, but if you work out how to get it done you’ll feel a huge sense of accomplishment afterwards.

If something is assigned to you, it’s yours 100 percent until completion. You already have 40 hours, and you feel like you have too much work.So what do you do? What you need to do is to review all of your current projects along with their priority and present options to the person who assigned you the task so you can both agree as to how to move forward. Share your thoughts about various ways you can manage the time for the new project, such as:

1. Working overtime.

2. Not doing your other tasks.

3. Doing this new task and shifting your calendar out.

4. Assigning this task to someone else.

5. Putting this task further out on the calendar to do at a later time.

Once you’re clear about the unfinished projects, and have discussed the options with the person who assigned you the task, then the decision can be made as to how to get it accomplished.

Once you’ve accepted responsibility for the task, and you’re excited because you know you’re valued, your focus will be on how to get it done. It’s important that people working with you on other projects or people waiting on projects from you are aware of the consequences to them of this new project of yours.

1. Notify anyone who’s waiting on you for something what the new completion date will be.

2. Find a way to streamline some of your tasks so they take less time allowing you to accomplish everything close to the original deadline.

Now what? You might feel overwhelmed and not know how to begin. You know you have to start somewhere, so just take a moment to think the project through and then start. If you hit a roadblock, go back to the person who gave you the task. Don’t go to someone else for guidance because they may have no clue as to the goal or intended purpose so they might guide you down the wrong path. When you go to the person who gave you the assignment, they might realize they didn’t make their goals clear or that you might not have understood how this project was to be used and they’ll clarify things. It might even happen that when you re-discuss the goals and the purpose the whole nature of the project will be refined or changed. You might even have to start all over again, but at least you’ll know what the vision is.

In order to do the task correctly, you need to understand the big picture. More importantly, you must understand its context. Make sure you understand the end goal and what you’re trying to accomplish. Talk it through so you can be clear on your direction—ask questions so you know your destination. You might not be in a position where you can push back or doubt the person who gave you the project, but what should surface from the discussion is that there’s agreement on its value, that it’s worth pursuing, and also that it’s part of the 20 percent you should be focusing on now.

Once that’s established, you need to take control of the task until it’s done:

• Identify the time frame for its completion.

• Find whether or not there’s someone else on the team you’re allowed to consult or work with.

• If there’s a part of the task that requires someone else’s input, be sure you include the person who assigned it to you when you email correspondence, so everyone is on the same page about where the project stands, and who the task is waiting on.

• If that other person can’t get to their part immediately, then it’s their responsibility to email back, with a copy to everyone, saying when they think they can get to it.

• Since the person who assigned you the task is copied on the correspondence, they have the option to say nothing and accept the schedule, or move priorities around to get it done sooner.

• If days or a week go by and you don’t have what you’re waiting for, send a reminder email, and copy the person who assigned the task to you. Remember it’s still your responsibility to push the task to completion as quickly as possible, so you don’t want it to fall off the radar. Everyone gets busy, and your boss might just assume it’s been taken care of, when in fact it’s waiting on someone other than you.

Take charge and proceed in a way that shows you have the vision and authorization to complete this project. If you need something from others, don’t ask for permission just go and get what you need. Asking for permission is saying you don’t believe that you’re authorized to do so. You’ve already been given the authorization, so do what it takes to get the job done. It's also important how you ask others for what you need - don’t ask them if they can do this for you because that just opens the door for a negative response. Tell them what you need to get done, and get their feedback on the best way to accomplish it. If you need to ask for something because you need help, that’s a different story—you should always ask for that. Be assertive in making sure the goal is met.

While you’re working on the task, take full ownership of it by doing the necessary research. Search the internet and learn everything you can about this topic. By seeing how others approach it you can increase your odds of doing an exceptional job on what’s been assigned to you. You might see an opportunity for a new idea that didn’t even present itself initially. What a picture of success that would be! Now you’ll become the expert in whatever it is you were tasked with.

Always be willing to accept new tasks. Encourage them. Know that you’ll be making mistakes, but embrace that fact that it’s part of your growth. Growth doesn’t come from being comfortable and inert.

Remember, there’s no such thing as inactivity unless you’re planning on being out of a job or going out of business! Accept responsibility for the tasks that are assigned to you and make adjustments in your attitude or workflow to accommodate them. Change means you’re growing and that you’ve tried something. The truly successful person who cares about their career will be open to new tasks and expanding responsibilities—this shows they care about their future and the business that hired them. Think about how great it will feel to know that you’ve significantly contributed to the company’s success by your willingness to keep growing and finding ways to add value.