#123 personal responsibility

Part of what allowed Alton Brown the flexibility to stay for his two hours of book signings (see #122 from yesterday) was that he flew into town on his private plane.  No chance of cutting people off because he had "a plane to catch"; he was the pilot and could set his own schedule.

Mr. Brown did not always know how to fly a plane.  His first book came out in 2001, and just after the attacks of 9-11 he was scheduled for a 20+ city tour to promote it.  Post-9-11 flying was grueling, and he knew that he could not continue to endure such stress over the long haul.  So after his first tour, he committed to learn how to fly so he would not have to put up with commercial aviation's harassment and delays.  He now pilots his own plane and has much less stress and much more latitude in how his tour functions.  Personal responsibility seems to be an ingredient in his recipe for success.

Contrast that with a local business owner who runs a Greek restaurant.  I went to dine there this weekend, but was greeted with a handwritten sign at the register which read "No Lettuce".  Their Aegean salad is their signature item and they ran out of lettuce.  What?!  It is not as if lettuce is a unique and hard to obtain item; the dish boy could have run to the local market and picked up a few heads and they would have been all set.  But, unlike Mr. Brown, this entrepreneur didn't take personal responsibility for ensuring his success.  He left his short-term destiny in the hands of external forces.

Which type of person are you -- the one who takes ownership of the situation and learns to fly, or the one who puts up a "no lettuce" sign and waits until the next delivery comes?  Challenge yourself to take lessons from Alton Brown and think of ways to solve your problem yourself instead of accepting the limitations others impose.  

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
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