When an organization (or person) has caused harm – through error or intent, it’s tempting to be sure they learned a lesson. We want folks to take responsibility, to admit culpability and to be sure they won’t do it again. But if you need those things to happen to make things better for all of us, we’re going to have to wait a long time. Perhaps it makes sense to embrace, “now that I know what I know now, I can make a new decision based on new information and do this instead.”
Taking responsibility for yesterday is great. Taking action for tomorrow is even better. We often become what we do, as opposed to simply doing what we say we would when under duress.
From: Seth Godin’s Daily Blog
REFLECTION:
- As we approach this Holiday week, perhaps you will be with family or friends? Or maybe you won’t be with family or friends because of a previous conflict.
- How can you let go of a need to have someone you have had conflict with admit their culpability… take responsibility for their previous actions?
- What if you could embrace a new way?
- What if you can act from “now that I know what I know… here is how I will approach the situation.”
- How will that change/shift this time together.