Responsibility according to the dictionary is the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force. It is also a form of trustworthiness; the trait of being answerable to someone for something or being responsible for one’s conduct.

This is usually not an easy thing in leadership owing to the fact that most people consciously and unconsciously run away from responsibilities because they come in the form of demanding tasks which require time, energy and resources to make things work. This is the reason, finding and accepting responsibility makes the cost of leadership high.

The fact remains that accepting responsibility is work. Owen D. Young was of the opinion that there is nothing magical about leadership, but there are certain penalties attached to it.

Not all men are ready to face these penalties and that is the reason they shy away from responsibility. But men with conscience and judgment have the boldness and courage to act in situations where responsibility seems difficult. Leaders are made out of tight and hard situations.

Sometimes, it is not the situations presented before people that make them not want to take responsibility. It could be seemingly valid reasons which eventually make them remain where they are without moving into the next phase of their lives. This is the reason men abandon their families. It is still the same reason businessmen give up on their businesses etc.

Despite knowing that it is not easy to emanate as a leader when responsibilities seem so tough, here are a few principles to follow:

1. Develop a good strategy

Your time could be in question and everything around you demands for your time. You need to develop a strategy that covers your planning and how you intend to fulfil the responsibility. Although the road to responsibility is not usually comfortable, a good strategy would help you travel that road with ease.

A good strategy to meet the demands of responsibility helps you prioritise, plan and develop a sense of obligation.

2. Understanding the Outcome

A good knowledge of the outcome of accepting responsibility is one that should give you the desire to want to meet every responsibility that comes your way. And the outcome is usually developing you into a leader who people see as a problem solver.

As I said earlier, responsibilities come in the form of challenges, problems and situations of various kinds. Once you become formidable in providing a solution that answers those needs, then your leadership can be seen as result oriented.

3. It’s a continuous thing

Responsibilities never end. They come in different phases and stages.

They are not a one-off thing. There is probably no intellectual and leadership culture so important as having a sense of obligation. The day you stop meeting your responsibility is the day you stop developing into a leader.

You have to continuously and consciously meet the demands of responsibility to stay afloat in transiting into the next phase of your life.

I would use this opportunity to urge you, having read this article, to develop a sense of obligation to aid you in developing your capacity for leadership and then meeting the demand of responsibilities.