A leader can delegate anything except responsibility. Leaders simply cannot give it away. They can model it; they can teach it; they can share it.
President Harry Truman was right when he said, “The buck stops here.” Leaders cannot pass the buck. We cannot lead without taking responsibility. It comes with the territory.
Responsibility—“the ability to meet obligations; the act of being accountable; a duty of trust”—is one of John Maxwell’s 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. It’s the ability to make and keep commitments. Last year, I summarized Sam Silverstein’s No More Excuses, which provides some practical tips for taking personal responsibility.
Click here to learn more about the Quality of Responsibility from both Jehosophat and Pontius Pilate in Maxwell’s Leadership Bible.
