Accountability and Responsibility
These two words are often used interchangeably, however, they are NOT interchangeable. Let me explain: Responsibility can be, and often is, shared. Many people are responsible to you in your NWM business – Your sponsor, the rest of your upline, the people in your organization as it begins to develop, and, of course, your company, just to name a few. Your sponsor was responsible for bringing you into the business, but it doesn’t stop there. In fact, the dictionary definition of sponsor is “One who assumes responsibility for some other person or thing”.
Your sponsor is also responsible for helping to make sure you are properly trained, and that you receive all the necessary coaching, mentoring, and support as you begin your growing Usana business. Similarly, the rest of your upline is responsible to you and your sponsor in much the same way. And you, in turn, are responsible to everyone you sponsor into your business. Every person in your organization (which some people refer to as your ‘downline’) is responsible for conducting themselves professionally in introducing the products and business to others.
Our company is responsible to all of us to provide quality products, effective business-building tools, and a robust marketing plan to help each of us reach whatever goals we desire. Accountability, on the other hand, CANNOT be shared. We often hear the term “shared responsibility”, but there is no such thing as “shared accountability”. Some would call that term an oxymoron. One could define accountability as the “ultimate responsibility”. Perhaps it would help to think of one of the quotes that former President Harry S.
Truman was famous for, and that is, “The Buck Stops Here”. That is probably the clearest and most well-known statements of accountability ever made, and it leaves no doubt in one’s mind as to where the ultimate responsibility lies. Which brings me to the main point of my comments, which is that, while many people are responsible for your individual success in your NWM business, only one person is accountable for your success, and that person is YOU! That’s right, the “Buck” stops with you.
Everyone of us deals with numerous obstacles in our business: skeptical prospects, competitive companies, non-committed people in our organizations, and simply just not having enough hours in the day to be able to do everything we want to. Maybe you have a sponsor who doesn’t return your phone calls. Maybe you live in a small town like Powell, Wyoming where there’s hardly anyone to talk to about NWM. Maybe your family members think you’re involved in some type of “pyramid scheme”.
Maybe you have friends who were in network marketing, but gave up and claim that network marketing doesn’t work. Maybe you don’t have that brand new personal computer that you know will do everything for you. Or, maybe you’ve had some products or promotional material back ordered by Usana. I could go on for a long time listing dozens of more obstacles, and, like many of you, I’ve heard of, or experienced, almost all of them at one time or another. BUT, if you, even for a moment, blame even ONE of these, or other, obstacles for your lack of success, then you’ve given up your accountability.
In fact, were Harry S. Truman here today, he’d say that you’re “passing the buck”. Accountability & Responsibility Losing military property is a crime and it is unacceptable behavior that will not be tolerated. Your misconduct and neglect could have resulted in needless expense and has jeopardized the effectiveness of our organization to successfully accomplish the missions at hand. You will receive corrective training for your misconduct but any future violation will result in UCMJ action.
Article 108 is a punitive article and can result in a Bad-conduct discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 1 year for loss of property through neglect. As a leader, you are responsible for what your subordinates do and fail to do. Responsibility and accountability are two of the main factors in being a successful soldier in today’s Army. Responsibility is the obligation for the proper custody, care, and safekeeping of property or funds entrusted to your possession or supervision.
Responsibility increases when you have personal control over your mission performance and when you have a single, clear set of rules that apply to a specific event. Your sense of responsibility becomes more effective and efficient when you perform out of desire to do well instead of just following orders. On the other hand, when guidelines are unclear when more than one set of rules seems to apply to an event, responsibility is decreased. This type of conduct continues, actions may be initiated under the Uniform Code of Military Justice to separate you from the Army prior to your scheduled ETS Date IAW AR 635-200.
If you are involuntarily separated, you could receive an Honorable Discharge, a General (Under Honorable Conditions) Discharge, or a Under Other Than Honorable Conditions Discharge. If you receive a discharge Under Other Than Honorable Conditions, you will be ineligible for reenlistment and for most benefits, including payments of accrued leave, transitional benefits, the Montgomery GI Bill, VA benefits, and you may also face difficulty in…
