We include articles about leadership and defining responsibilities in sources we review. A recent article reminded us of a poem credited to former CBS news anchor and poet Charles Osgood. His “Responsibility Poem” illustrates how important it is to take responsibilities seriously and to own them.
The short version is shown here. We’ve linked two sources where the full version can be found, as well.
Source: Your Friend 4 Life, February 16, 2014. Link.
Condensed Version of The Responsibility Poem by Charles Osgood.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.
Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job.
Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody couldn’t do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.
Also see: Arceil on Leadership, October 2009. Link.
INSIGHTS: It is easy it is to expect someone else to do what needs to be done. Because of that, we may think we aren’t responsible. But responsibility can’t be avoided quite so easily. With 24/7 businesses, flextime jobs and four generations working in the same entities, Osgood’s poem is a reminder to own up to our responsibilities.
Some animal health pros likely have never read this poem. Consider it for an upcoming staff meeting or as part of communications about processes, procedures and follow-through.