Personal Responsibility Jordan Xxxxxxx GEN/200 November 27, 2012 Margo Xxxxxxx

Personal Responsibility
Although so many people are lying, cheating and stealing their way through their lives, it is those who show personal responsibility by do things the right way that succeed. As a student, it is easy in today’s society to be drawn toward the many tools available to cheat their way to a degree. Learning the courses, material, and submitting work that one can honestly be proud of, knowing that they gave their best honest effort, is the most important part of that personal responsibility.
For students to show a personal responsibility toward their college career is one of the most important attributes they can have. There is a fine line between personal responsibility and how it applies to college success. For instance, one could use the many avenues available on the Internet, such as purchasing a paper that was written by someone else, is not only illegal as far as universities are concerned, but it does not prepare them properly for life after college. When I was in high school, I hated math. I had always wondered, “Why do we need to know this garbage?” Sometimes, ones weaknesses get the best of them. Rather than learn the subject, they would rather find a way to submit work they did not do, just to get an A or at least a passing grade. The problem is that even though it might be true that you may not necessarily need to know that specific “formula” or “equation”, the purpose of it is to train or exercise that area of your brain, so it will be able to perform those cognitive functions. So the right thing to do is at least give it your best effort, and be honest.
One of the biggest reasons that a student should exercise personal responsibility in college is that they will be more respected by their peers as well as their professors. If you are known as a cheater or as someone who’s dishonest, that negative quality could follow you for the rest of your college career, or perhaps into your professional career.
I plan to use the available tools provided by the university to help me through my college education because it not only will help me to pass my courses with a successful grade, but I actually will learn what they are trying to teach me. I have a strong desire to learn the material because it will do nothing but benefit me in my next career. I also have a heightened responsibility in setting the right example for my three stepdaughters.
I’ve learned a lot about personal responsibility through my twenty-year career in the U.S. Coast Guard. One example came up numerous times. As a shop supervisor or “Watch Captain”, it was my responsibility to ensure that we had at least two helicopters; a “Ready” and a “Backup”; ready to fly at any moment for Search And Rescue (SAR) duty. Sometimes, or what would seem the most inopportune times, these aircraft tended to misbehave and break down. Sometimes it is either a component that requires maintenance or replacement, or sometimes it is just an indicating light in the instrument panel that will just not go away. But even though these things occasionally do happen, it was my job to ensure that my team knows the drill. It is paramount that each member of my team takes a personal responsibility with safety and accountability. It is my responsibility to teach them that there is no room for cutting corners, in trying to quickly get a helicopter back to flying status. Everyone needs to hold themselves and each other accountable not only for safety on the hangar deck, but also with ensuring the aircraft was indeed repaired correctly. They all know that either they or perhaps a coworker or their best friend might be flying in that helicopter next. Working in this environment where we are not only the folks who fix these aircraft, but also the ones who fly in them has made us the best mechanics in the business. One example of personal responsibility had to do with recalling a helicopter back from a training flight. Soon after this aircraft departed the air station for their morning training, one of the quality assurance (QA) personnel questioned the mechanic about a piece of work they had performed. The QA asked them if they had indeed safety wired several bolts together after they closed a panel. The mechanic, having performed this specific piece of maintenance many times, honestly couldn’t remember. Sometimes complacency sets in. Even though this mechanic has been properly trained and is in essence programmed to know that whenever this panel goes back on, it gets safety wired, he could have easily said “I took care of it”. Instead, the mechanic told the QA he honestly couldn’t remember. They immediately radioed the helicopter crew and ordered them back to station. Once back safely, they inspected the panel to find that the panel was indeed safety wired properly. Better to be safe than sorry. Making the wrong decision could have proved disastrous.
Another important aspect of personal responsibility (PR) is developing a rapport between supervisors and subordinates. According to Pater and Remmo (2012) “Leaders must first set a PR tone themselves rather than expecting others to ‘do as I say, not as I do’” (p.26). You always have to be in the mindset of “practice what you preach”. How do you expect your subordinates or peers to follow or even respect you if you do not abide by the very same rules and regulations that have been put in place to make everything fair, safe, and legal? If one sets the example by letting others see that it does matter doing the right thing the first time, every time, people will respect you, want to work with you and follow you. This couldn’t be more important in an environment such as the U.S. Military, where someone’s life could be on the line. In the military world along with the civilian world, integrity is the most important part of personal responsibility. This also directly correlates to college life.
It’s situations like that that I can relate to my personal responsibility as a student. If I were to cheat or find a shortcut to get my paper finished on time, I not only did my learning team a disservice by being dishonest with them, but I also cheated myself out of getting the right education, and it could come back to haunt me throughout my professional career. In conclusion, although it is difficult because so many are lying and cheating their way to a degree, showing personal responsibility to one’s education is the most important attribute for a student for two main reasons. First, they will be more respected by their peers and professors. More important, it will better prepare them for whatever career path they choose.

References Pater, R., & Remmo, C. (2012, September). Personal Responsibility for Safety. Professional Safety, 57(9), 26-29.