Word-Of-the-Week #2021: Accountable
March 5, 2026 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #2021: Accountable
Accountable – responsible for the outcome or decision that you make.
Do you take responsibility for problems that you may have created? Do you communicate directly and clearly, with honest intention?
This week features the third part of “If You’ve Already Accomplished These 11 Things, You’re More Successful Than An Average Person” by Alexandra Blogier at YourTango.com
To Recap: Everyone defines success differently. Some people measure success by career achievements, money, or material comfort, while others base it on strong relationships, emotional health, and how fulfilled they feel on a day-to-day basis. Success is personal, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to recognize. In fact, there are certain life accomplishments and internal shifts that quietly separate truly successful people from everyone else.
- You show up as your authentic self
- You commit to lifelong learning
- You set goals that actually matter to you
- You approach challenges as opportunities to grow
- You make mistakes and learn from them
- You hold yourself accountable
Holding yourself accountable is an accomplishment that shows you’re more successful than an average person. Most people are terrified to take responsibility for things they’ve done wrong, or things they haven’t done at all. Holding yourself accountable is a sign of success because it shows you’re willing to change.
As psychotherapist F. Diane Barth explains, “Taking responsibility does not mean never making a mistake,” but rather, it means acknowledging your actions and working to show up differently next time, which can positively impact your sense of self.
“Knowing that we can make changes gives us a sense of agency, a feeling of power over what we do and don’t do, and a sense of competence,” Barth concludes.
- You build and maintain a support network
If you’ve built a support network of people who care for you and who you care for in return, you’re more successful than an average person. Investing in your relationships is an indicator of personal success. Research shows that people with strong social connections tend to be happier and healthier, with close relationships boosting life satisfaction and well-being.
Putting in the time and effort to get to know people who will show up when you need support means you’re successful, because you’re harnessing the power of your community. Having a support network means giving when you can give and receiving when you’re in need, both of which are needed.
If you have people in your life who push you to grow, who inspire you, and love you as you are, you’re more successful than an average person.
- You communicate with intention and clarity
If you’re always working to communicate directly and clearly, with honest intention, you’re more successful than an average person. You fully understand that communication is the key to having healthy relationships, but you also know that it’s often harder than it seems to communicate with clarity.
Professor Yvonne K. Fulbright reveals that “the trick is discovering how to express yourself amid the sea of emotions that can quickly submerge your best efforts.” She explains that a major part of strong communication isn’t about what you say, but rather, how you listen.
“Communication needs to be a two-way street,” she shares. “If you expect your partner to hear you out, then you need to make yourself vulnerable to any reaction, especially the need to reflect back on what you’ve just said.”
Staying present in a conversation is as important as taking the space you need to process what’s been said, and expressing gratitude for the connection you have with your partner will always raise your communication efforts to a higher vibration.
This week’s focus is on being accountable. Are you willing to change? Have you built a support network of people who care for you and who you care for in return? Is your communication a two-way street?
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Word Of the Week #606: Accountable
March 17, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word Of the Week #606: Accountable
Accountable – responsible for the outcome or decision that you make.
Do you care about results more than your image or ego? Can you treat rude and cruel people with the same kindness you extend to anyone else? How well do you handle deadlines that are unreasonable?
This is the third of Travis Bradberry’s Forbes article, “11 Signs You Have The Grit You Need To Succeed.” He writes, “Grit is that “extra something” that separates the most successful people from the rest. It’s the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel in order to stick with our dreams until they become a reality.
Developing grit is all about habitually doing the things that no one else is willing to do. There are quite a few signs that you have grit, and if you aren’t doing the following on a regular basis, you should be.
- You have to meet deadlines that are unreasonable and deliver results that exceed expectations. Successful people find a way to say yes and still honor their existing commitments. They know the best way to stand out from everyone else is to outwork them. For this reason, they have a tendency to over deliver, even when they over promise.
- You have to focus on the details even when it makes your mind numb. Nothing tests your grit like mind-numbing details, especially when you’re tired. The more people with grit are challenged, the more they dig in and welcome that challenge, and numbers and details are no exception to this.
- You have to be kind to people who have been rude to you. When people treat you poorly, it’s tempting to stoop to their level and return the favor. People with grit don’t allow others to walk all over them, but that doesn’t mean they’re rude to them, either. Instead, they treat rude and cruel people with the same kindness they extend to anyone else, because they won’t allow another person’s negativity to bring them down.
- You have to be accountable for your actions, no matter what. People are far more likely to remember how you dealt with a problem than they are how you created it in the first place. By holding yourself accountable, even when making excuses is an option, you show that you care about results more than your image or ego.
Bringing It All Together
Grit is as rare as it is important. The good news is any of us can get grittier with a little extra focus and effort.”
This week’s focus is to be accountable. How many times have you delivered results that exceeded expectations? Are you able to stay focused when the details become mind-numbing? How good are you at dealing with problems that you may have created? Are you willing to habitually doing the things that no one else is willing to do?
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WOW Word-Of-the-Week #496: Accountable
February 6, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on WOW Word-Of-the-Week #496: Accountable
Accountable – responsible for the outcome or decision that you make.
How would you on rate yourself on “follow through?” When given a task or project do you take full responsibility? Are you consistent when it comes to meeting deadlines?
This week I asked Chris to pick the WOW since I picked the word “Execution” that I thought best describes him around the house and life in general. This might have been a mistake as he and I totally view this word in a different way. (His WOW could have possibly been over 14 pages long, just kidding!)
He ran a very large organization. When he started in San Diego he had 50 physicians that grew to 850. And he had 24,000 members that grew to over 500,000. One thing he had to 
do in the course of his job was to “take action.” I understand why he is the way is. You can’t be in charge and sit around wandering what you should do next. You need know and then take action. You also need to know how to manage you time, your schedule and your own priorities. (Along with a lot more attributes!)
Chris says, “In any organization, small or large, you need to take responsibility for quality, making others successful, caring about your external and internal customers, and being the best that you can be! It is especially important to take responsibility when things go wrong. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing you did the best job you could. Deflecting responsibility, hanging on to a large ego, and blaming others are all time wasters. By accepting responsibility for your decisions makes you accountable for the outcome. The buck stops here!”
This week’s focus is on being accountable. Do you want to move up in your organization? Have you ever felt you haven’t moved up as quickly as you thought you should have? How willing are you to take swift action?