In a popular HBR parable, not one person was willing to assume ultimate responsibility. Each person was willing to do his bit just as long as it was not too inconvenient (i.e., as long as it did not change their plans too much). Otherwise, they passed the buck to someone else. Can one discharge one’s ethical responsibility?
We all have self-imposed limits…where is the limit of your responsibility? Is this limit created by an excuse for actions, such as reaching a goal or seizing an opportunity? Sometimes, this responsibility turns into a real moral dilemma. Often ambiguous, when a leader realizes the full effect, that person tends to become defensive.
You can’t take care of every needy person you encounter. So, how do you decide whom to help? How do you decide how much you must give of yourself? From an aggregate perspective, how do you ensure collaborative and synchronized effort towards a collective goal, where each person takes responsibility?
“The price of greatness is personal responsibility.” Winston Churchill
Where is the limit of your responsibility?
