THE RESPONSIBILITY AT WORK.. WHAT'S IT LIKE?

"Sir! Many times, our Boss gives to me and my colleague works to be completed together. There, we've a good understanding. The days I am busy, my friend takes up the responsibility and fills in for my absence. And on days he is busy, I do help him out. Our Boss too knows this and is happy with our doing!"

"Dear! Your togetherness and doing your works co- operating with each other is great and I wish that way your work life go on smoothly. Many times, we'll have our own problems and it's good to know that some one is with us to come to our rescue in time..

But a small explanation here..

Our work is forever a sacred entity with us and every such work has a distinct responsibility attached to it where in if I have to answer on that, I alone have to do without an exception..

That way seen, there is nothing like a combined responsibility with any active working group at whatever level be and each individual is distinctly responsible for the specific portion of doing it!"

"But Sir, in our case, our Boss has not defined our responsibilities. So how do we do otherwise?"

"Yes.. Even though it is not distinctly defined who has to do what, many times depending on one's knowledge/experience, the responsibilities can be divided and under any query or investigation that stands..

• Even if both of you are at an exact knowledge level, the works you both do can still on mutual agreement be equally divided and both of you bring that to the notice of your Boss and get an oral okay from him. If you really do that, your Boss sure okays it as it is easy for him too to follow up your doings. And I'm sure, if you insist further, many Bosses give that in writing..

• If a particular Boss is not interested in all that, you both combined keep him informed in writing on who is doing what and that letter sure supports any later enquiry..

• If the Boss totally does not like all these writings, just make a list of the responsibilities attached to the specific work and who is going to handle each and both of you can sign on that as an understanding between you. In a worst scenario, that paper will have its own value and the Boss too will be questioned by the enquiry authorities on why he did not issue specific orders in writing..

• In case the responsibilities can't be distinctly demarcated, the simple understanding that you both would be handling all the responsibilities on alternate days can be documented..

Without any one of these understandings, if you both start handling your works as you said, it becomes never a responsible way, a few times may lead to serious misunderstandings between you both and once in way you may be cornered too without your own knowledge..

And I'm sure, all along even though remaining silent, you higher management never approves your kiddish way of handling the works instead of feeling truly responsible therein!"

Keyword: Responsibility