Personal Responsibility Generally, Personal Responsibility

Personal Responsibility

Generally, personal responsibility means simply recognizing the obligations that fall on us and undertaking objectively reasonable approaches to meeting those obligations. Situations calling for the acceptance of personal responsibility include obligations to others, obligations to society more broadly, as well as obligations to one's self. The opportunity to meet our obligations by conducting ourselves responsibly arise in various different contexts; but in principle, a person demonstrates personal responsibility by being honest about the objective circumstances and by being logical and honest about the foreseeable implications of all possible responses to those objective circumstances.

Personal Responsibility in Different Contexts

Situations calling for personal responsibility include circumstances where our choices of action (or non-action) have specific consequences to others as well as to ourselves. In general life, personal responsibility requires us not to make selfish choices that shift the burden or cost of our choices or of the risks that we choose to take onto others. In the context of our obligations to society, personal responsibility requires us to conduct ourselves in ways that do not entail taking unfair advantage of opportunities or situations at the expense of others. In the context of responsibility to ourselves, personal responsibility means, in large part, establishing logical goals, identifying what commitments are necessary to achieve those goals, and then maintaining our commitment to those goals thereafter.

Personal Responsibility in College

Attending college provides numerous opportunities for us to practice the concept of personal responsibility. As students, we have responsibilities to ourselves to make the most out of our educational opportunities. That means making a genuine effort to learn and not just to fulfill course requirements for the sake of our grades and official transcripts. That responsibility usually includes the obligation to attend all scheduled classes, to participate in class, and to fulfill all of the out-of-class course requirements. Personal responsibility in college also means complying in good faith with the rules and honor codes established by the college and to conduct ourselves honorably in our interactions and relationships with other students, instructors, and employees of the institution. Because the college environment typically entails sharing living spaces with other students, personal responsibility in college also includes recognizing and respecting the rights and sensibilities of others.

My Plan for Personal Responsibility in College in Practice

In practice, my plan for personal responsibility is to try my best to identify my obligations in advance, to determine exactly what I need to do to meet those obligations, and then to stick to the elements of my plan once potential temptations arise that could derail my initial plans. In the context of my responsibilities as a student, I intend to create a study schedule at the beginning of every term and to stick to that plan. As a member of the college community, my plan for personal responsibility is to always comply with formal rules and codes of conduct and be sensitive to the rights and welfare of others and to act in ways that respect those rights even when it might be more convenient for me not to.

Conclusion

Personal responsibility means recognizing obligations and meeting all of the burdens of those obligations. Circumstances calling for personal responsibility arise in many different contexts, including in relation to our obligations as students. While there are many different specific duties that correspond to different types of obligations, in principle, personal responsibility simply means recognizing our obligations honestly and doing what is reasonably necessary for us to fulfill those obligations in good faith. In the case of responsibilities as students, the greatest challenge is probably sticking to our initial plans when circumstances tempt us to do otherwise.

How might factors such as diversity, attitude, learning, and work styles affect team building?

In general, effective team building requires the establishment of a collaborative working environment within a group of multiple individuals. Because different people bring different skills and may bring very different perceptions, beliefs, values, and expectations to the team, one of the most important factors in effective team building is anticipating, preventing, and resolving conflict. The fact that team members often reflect diverse backgrounds and attitudes requires team builders and team leaders to consider those differences in administrating teams.

The consequences of failing to consider issues of individual diversity and attitude within teams can be the complete failure of the team to work together and accomplish the objectives of the team. Conversely, team building and team leadership practices that recognize the importance of sensitivity to diversity can allow teams to avoid unnecessary conflicts and to resolve any conflicts that do arise as quickly as possible and with the least possible disruption to the team and its achievement of it objectives.