Responsibility is a concept that can have a different meaning depending on the context and circumstance in which it is used, for example, in civil, moral and criminal fields. Being responsible people implies, however, being trustworthy people, from family relationships to relationships with friends, from relationships with co-workers to the way of being considered by one’s own community.
But how to be a responsible person? Possessing the specific individual qualities of responsibility means earning the trust and esteem of others through our attitudes. Therefore, in this Psychology-Online article we will discover the characteristics of a responsible person.
What is responsibility
Responsibility can be defined as the possibility of foresee the consequences of their behavior and correct it on the basis of this forecast. However, the definitions of responsibility offered by the literature are multiple, but all of them can be reduced to two central and common aspects:
- The responsibility for (your family, the State, friends, etc.).
- The responsibility before (God, one’s own conscience, the community of belonging, history).
On the other hand, the simplest meaning of responsibility, however, refers to the possibility of attributing to a person an action that has been carried out, identifying them as the one that generated it and attributing blame or merit to them.
If we want to address what it means to be a responsible person in psychological terms, responsibility is considered a relational construction: This transcends the individual person because it refers to an ethical horizon that includes two or more people, and therefore can be declined as personal and social responsibility.
What does it mean to be a responsible person?
What does it take to be a responsible person? This type of subject acts in a way balanced and thoughtfulwith full awareness that their behaviors and decisions have consequences for themselves and, in many cases, also for others.
Feeling a responsibility is a perception, while assuming a responsibility is an action, which means having active and not passive attitudes:
- Be responsible for yourself. Being a responsible person means learning to manage your life autonomously, choosing with your head, because no one knows better than you what is good for you.
- Be responsible in relationships with others. Just as you hope to be able to count on and trust others, the people around you want to trust you. Being a responsible and reliable person will make you a point of reference for your family and friends and will increase their respect and esteem for you.
- Be responsible at work and with colleagues. In the world of work it is even more important to understand how to take responsibility, because no one wants to be the scapegoat or have to bear the consequences of a disorganized and irresponsible way of working. And above all, your boss expects mature and conscientious behavior from you.
- Be responsible in society. Becoming a responsible person also means behaving socially in a certain way, having respect for others, for the place you live in and everything else. Don’t expect others to behave and you be the first to set an example.
What are the characteristics of a responsible person
To describe a responsible person, you must first understand that he or she has a strong sense of responsibility that implies something more: one thing is to feel a responsibility, and another is to assume a responsibility, to take charge personally, directly and completely. Below, we list the 10 attitudes of a responsible person:
- Don’t make unnecessary excuses. Being responsible means, above all, stopping telling yourself and others, avoiding resorting to excuses to justify mistakes, forgetfulness and everything that, for the most part, is attributable to simple irresponsibility.
- Avoid scapegoats. A responsible person knows precisely how to assume his responsibilities. Do not shift the blame for your mistakes and faults to others, even when he lets others choose, he takes responsibility for the consequences of the gestures.
- You are responsible for your actions. Even when he does not choose with his head, he is the architect and responsible for his actions.
- Think about the consequences before acting or not. Being selfish is nothing to be ashamed of, but choosing irresponsibly, without judgment, is.
- It is coherent and verbal. A responsible person knows that the words he uses have weight.
- He gets to work and does not postpone his duties. Being responsible means acting, making decisions and carrying them forward, without waiting, without waiting, perhaps waiting for things to take their own path without having done anything, simply following the course of events.
- He doesn’t complain as much. When you think about how to take responsibility, you are expressing the desire to grow up and be treated like an adult.
- Respects herself and others. A person who knows how to assume her responsibilities demonstrates, above all, respect for herself and her abilities.
- Learn to handle problems. Responsible people are those who learn to handle problems firsthand. These types of individuals resolve conflicts with , click on the link if you want to learn about this procedure.
- Organize your commitments. Knowing how to organize your own commitments is another important aspect of being responsible.
How to be a responsible person
The main principle to overcome one’s own defects is concentration and organization: to get used to responsibility you have to make commitments and be able to keep those promises. This refers, first of all, to the family and the environment; not an easy task, but a great incentive for more results.
A simple, everyday example? Learn from an early age to clean and keep the order not only personal belongings, but also the environment; Washing the dishes immediately after a meal will not be difficult, and putting your shoes back in order after a walk will not seem like a daunting task at all. Also, remember to do more than what is asked of you.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Prometeo Coaching (2021). Come be responsible in 10 simple steps. Retrieved from: https://www.prometeocoaching.it/blog/come-diventare-responsabili/