Responsibility Needs Power

Last month I was elected secretary for my home group. I was excited to serve. But within weeks I was frustrated. I had responsibility for making sure the meeting ran smoothly but no power to actually make decisions. Every small thing required approval from the group. I felt ineffective and exhausted trying to be responsible for outcomes I couldn't influence.

Responsibility without power is both ineffective and unhealthy. This named exactly what I was experiencing. I can't be responsible for something I have no power to affect. That's not just ineffective – it's unhealthy. It recreates the dynamic I lived with in active alcoholism where I was held responsible for the alcoholic's drinking but had no power to control it.

Concept Six teaches me that responsibility and power must go together. If I accept responsibility I need the authority to act. If I don't have power I can't accept full responsibility. This applies to service positions and to my whole life. I'm learning to assess: Do I have the power to affect this outcome? If not I can't take responsibility for it.

This distinction protects me from the trap of feeling responsible for things I'm powerless over.

When I'm feeling responsible for something, I can ask: Do I actually have the power to affect this outcome? If not, I can release the responsibility. Holding myself accountable for things I'm powerless over is both ineffective and unhealthy. Responsibility and power must go together.