If not me, then who? If not now, then when?
You may say, Hey! I did what I was told to do!” But is that good enough? There are things we are told to do. There are job descriptions, policies, and verbal directions that are intended to tell us what tasks we need to accomplish. Examples include our job descriptions, project deadlines, standards and metrics. The real issues occur when someone believes that accomplishing these things are good enough.
This may be good enough for somebody who wants to remain at an entry level position or never be trusted with more responsibilities. Taking action based on just your assigned tasks will probably be enough if that is your goal. But for anyone aspiring to be more, then there is more to do.
Duty: Taking action based on our assigned tasks and moral obligations.
We all have moral obligations as leaders at work and at home. Think of our moral obligations as the “ought to’s” in life. These go beyond the minimum expectations of job descriptions or verbal directions. They include the things that need to be done. Embracing and acting on your moral obligations makes you somebody people can count on. You become a person who takes the initiative because you are not waiting for someone to tell you what to do. You ask yourself:
“If not me, then who?”
“If not now, then when?”
Duty - taking action based on our assigned tasks and moral obligations - becomes a habit through practice. Think of Duty, and all six of the Habits of Character, like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. The more you take action on your “ought to’s” the easier it will become the next time you are faced with a moral obligation.
To give you some insight, here are some moral obligations I have at work and at home. Some of them I do well and others need exercise.
Work:
● Keeping track of travel receipts for our Operations Leader - Lauren.
● Reviewing my notes at the end of the week to be sure I’ve fulfilled all my commitments.
● Making a phone call when I’d prefer to just send an email.
● Managing my priority list so the important things get done before the fun things.
Home:
● Picking up the ice cube that fell on the floor.
● Make the bed when my wife Elizabeth has to leave early for work.
● Staying healthy through diet and exercise so I am available for my family for a long time.
● Calling my friends to check in on them.
What are your moral obligations? What are the things you “ought to do” at work and at home?
I want to challenge you to make your own list and then take action. Because each time you fulfill those moral obligations, you are another step closer to being that reliable Leader of Character that others will want to follow.
Question:
● What is the smallest moral obligation you can improve upon?
● How will being more consistent with that help you to become a more reliable person?
Here is a quick assessment that will take you 5 minutes to figure it out. Nobody will ever see your results but you.
Warning: If you are not going to be honest with yourself this is a worthless assessment.
To take the assessment use the QR code above or go to www.MYCHARACTERTEST.com
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