Employment Certification Program Personal Responsibility Workshop 1 1

What is Personal Responsibility? 2

Personal Responsibility… “Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual you have an obligation to be one.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt “If you own your story you get to write the ending.” ― Brené Brown, PhD, Research Professor, University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work “Taking personal accountability is a beautiful thing because it gives us complete control of our destinies.” ― Heather Schuck, Writer "Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses." ― George Washington Carver, Pioneer in Agricultural Research ”Most of us can read the writing on the wall; we just assume it's addressed to someone else. ” ― Ivern Ball, Poet, Writer 3

More Quotes on Personal Responsibility… “When you blame others, you give up your power to change. ” ― Author Unknown “…the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.” ― Anne Frank “This is your life. You are responsible for it. You will not live forever. Don't wait.” ― Natalie Goldberg, Writer “The power behind taking responsibility for your actions lies in putting an end to negative thought patterns. You no longer dwell on what went wrong or focus on whom you are going to blame. You don't waste time building roadblocks to your success. Instead, you are set free and can now focus on succeeding.” ― Lorii Meyers, Writer and Entrepreneur 4

Foundations of Responsibility HONESTY Be on time Work hard Work smart Give honest feedback Be sincere ACCOUNTABILITY Do what you agree to do Meet deadlines, every time! INTEGRITY Do work you are proud of Stand behind what you do Protect the dignity of others PAY YOUR DEBTS (not just your bills, but what you owe to your employer, colleagues and customers in Effort and Productivity) 5

Foundations of Responsibility Always strive to give a “Baker’s Dozen” in your life! Do a little more, a little better and a bit faster than you promised People who exceed expectations are given more opportunities to succeed Be the “go to” person; make yourself indispensable People who meet or beat deadlines are trusted with more responsible tasks Discussion: How do you or can you provide a “Baker’s Dozen” at work? 6

Don’t Be a Victim We learn from every experience – good or bad – but we have choices on how we react and move forward. “Take the High Road” Struggle = Strength! Your employer can provide empowering experiences, but only you can empower yourself. 7

How Do I Become More Responsible? Goals Inspiration Motivation Accountability Organization 8

How Do I Become More Responsible? Goals What will you accomplish this year? This month? This week? Today? Right now? Make a list. Habitual list makers get much more done. 9

How Do I Become More Responsible? Inspiration What inspires you to put your best foot forward? To try hard? To try new things? To do better than last time? To never give up? How can you / do you inspire others? “You don’t have to be a “Star” to STAR in what you do! ― Dolly Parton 10

Motivation What motivates you to get up every day and give your very best effort? Find your source of motivation and watch your performance immediately improve. Once your higher level of performance is a habit, you have a work ethic that others will invest in. How Do I Become More Responsible? 11

How Do I Become More Responsible? Accountability Sustained motivation comes from within and it is crucial to make yourself accountable to others. To what person or people can you / do you make yourself accountable? Being accountable helps to motivate us on our off-days and helps us maintain or strengthen our reputations for good work. 12

How Do I Become More Responsible? Organization Even with goals, motivation and accountability you must have something that helps you translate everything into daily action. Use a day planner that you keep with you at all times, to have all necessary information at your fingertips. It should have a calendar to track your meetings and commitments, a to-do list to help you stay on top of deadlines, and important contact information to facilitate quick communication. Day Planner / Calendar To-Do Lists Notes, Reminders, Tickler File 13

GOALS List below FIVE GOALS at work / in your job search: 1. ____________________________ 2. ____________________________ 3. ____________________________ 4. ____________________________ 5. ____________________________ My Responsibility ACTION PLAN 14

My Responsibility ACTION PLAN INSPIRATION List below FIVE things that INSPIRE you to do good work, be a better employee, or a better person: 1. ____________________________ 2. ____________________________ 3. ____________________________ 4. ____________________________ 5. ____________________________ 15

My Responsibility ACTION PLAN MOTIVATION List below FIVE things that MOTIVATE you at work / in your job search: 1. ____________________________ 2. ____________________________ 3. ____________________________ 4. ____________________________ 5. ____________________________ 16

ACCOUNTABILITY List below FIVE ways you demonstrate ACCOUNTABILITY at work or in your job search: 1. ____________________________ 2. ____________________________ 3. ____________________________ 4. ____________________________ 5. ____________________________ My Responsibility ACTION PLAN 17

My Responsibility ACTION PLAN ORGANIZATION List below FIVE ways you will ORGANIZE your work or job search: 1. ____________________________ 2. ____________________________ 3. ____________________________ 4. ____________________________ 5. ____________________________ 18

Personal Responsibility Taking Charge of Your Life 1.What is one area of your life that you could improve? 2.How does it benefit you to not make the improvement? 3.What does it cost you and/or others to not make the improvement? 4.What can you do differently to make the improvement? 5.What help are you willing to ask for from others? Who? When? 6.How will you know that you have been successful? 19

How Can I Improve My Personal Responsibility? Assignment Write a short essay, a personal statement, or make a list, on the importance of personal responsibility in your life, and what things you will do differently to add discipline and responsibility on a regular basis. Send by to Due date: Friday Homework! 20