In BED with accountability
In BED with accountability – how being above the line makes you happier and more effective
I had to tell one of my colleagues to get out of BED the other day.
When you finish reading you’ll probably realise that some of your people need to get out of bed too.
ORA BED is a term we use in our business to remind people how to be assertive and take control of their destiny. You read it down the page, like this:
Ownership
Responsibility
Accountability
———————————————————
Blame
Excuses
Denial
If our behaviour is above the line we are being assertive, own our futures and probably feel free and have peace of mind. It also makes us fairly easy to work with, and people who get things done.
If our behaviour is below the line, we are behaving like victims – the kind of person that things happen to. We become trapped by blame, denial and excuses, and give up control. And that’s when we feel powerless and become resentful or angry. It makes us aggressive, passive aggressive, or passive. Above all, it makes us miserable!
Here’s how to spot the negative behaviours.
Do any of these situations sound familiar? Someone needs to get out of BED and climb above the line. And that’s what we say when we encounter this in the office: “You’re in BED”, or “You’re below the line”.
As Jim Edwards says,
“You’re only a victim once. Every other time you’re a willing participant.”
Once we move above the line, what has come before isn’t important. This is what happens:
I’ll leave you with this statement to think about – it’s one that we ask our online students to repeat to themselves every day for 60 days after they do the ORA BED lesson:
“If I am willing to be responsible for the smallest atom in the farthest reaches of our galaxy, then what I do here and now will be different.”
Jennifer Elliott is the founder and CEO of Integrity and Values, a leadership development organisation that empowers leaders to build responsible teams that produce extraordinary results.
Recognised as one of Australia’s leading executive leadership and behavioural change consultants, Jennifer has worked with teams and individuals across Australia for over 30 years..
Jennifer’s impressive sales and management history is supported by her own experience owning and running successful multi-million dollar companies and through building and leading her own effective teams. She has first-hand knowledge on the business building process, the payroll struggle, confronting management issues and dealing with cash-flow problems.