In recent times, I have noticed people interacting with each other in a very different way. A heart-warming way. There is renewed respect. There is politeness in the tone of their voices. There appears to be renewed compassion. Sarcasm is subsiding. There is a definite move away from the adversarial and antagonistic thinking patterns of the past.

Is this just my personal relationship towards people determining my experience rather than people having changed, in essence? Is this merely my change in context? Or, is this perceived change due to emerging mindfulness, awareness and consciousness?

Taking a step back: What I have noticed, though, is that compassion; the concern for the work-load and stress of peers are under, is causing capitulation – not demanding that they commit to what they promised to do, while getting and understanding what they are going through. Results orientation appears to be waning. Letting people off lightly when they don’t do what they said they would do, is prevalent.

This trend in allowing people to miss their obligations, is compromising their own goals and very often your own goals. There is an average drop in power and momentum!

Here’s a credo to turn this situation around. One that does not detract from compassion and actually supports it: demanding the very best from people while getting what they are going through:

Taking responsibility for Mutually Agreed, Committed Action with Integrity

In order to be in your power and to definitely empower your peers and colleagues alike:

committed action – binds oneself to a certain course – the process of doing something that typically serves an aim, takes one in a direction, achieve something that has a definite outcome,

take responsibility – is a willingness and conscious act of accepting and demonstrating the ability to respond rather than merely react to circumstances. The empowerment that comes with taking responsibility allows you to i) influence your action (or non-action), ii) be the creator of preferred outcomes and iii) your experiences of reality. After all, with great responsibility comes “Great power comes great Responsibility”.

mutually agreed – is a complete understanding and shared opinion of what needs to be achieved; who is going to do what and when. Specific, measurable, acceptable, realistic and time bound accountability.

integrity – is doing what you said you would do, when you said you would do it. No compromise.

This credo reverses the negative downwards spiral of victimhood that comes with unstated expectations and assumptions that lead to complaints, anxiety, stress, frustration, denial and finally resignation.

Instead, empowering your own destiny and potentially that of others, results.