Accountability 101

Have you ever struggled with communicating your experience with someone or sharing an experience with someone who REFUSES to take accountability or responsibility for themselves or their behavior? What did you think? How did you feel? What did you take away from the experience? How did you engage with them moving forward? Did you end up taking accountability? Did you take on their feelings? Why or why not?

This can be a triggering experience for folks on the basis of the experience being untrusting and demeaning. Someone who struggles to take accountability maybe unaware, afraid or too self-involved to admit to any missteps or flaws; however, that doesn't take away from the experience of the listener. I've also noticed that individuals who struggle can also struggle with making themselves vulnerable to criticism due to their experience or fear of not being forgiven or treated with care as a result. I haven't met anyone who doesn't mind takign accountability for things they didn't do unless they are trying to keep the peace, codependent, avoiding confrontation or are uncomfortable with conflict. The challenge with this is how often do you intend to keep this up and does this encourage the individual struggling to work through their struggle or doesn't it enable them to remain unaware and untrustworthy?

How often do you take accountability for yourself and your behavior? How are you modeling this behavior? Is it an argument or fall out before you take accountability? Is there a back and forth? Is there denial and avoidance in this process for you? Are you unaware?