Recommended Read : No Innocent Bystanders

This article 'No Innocent Bystanders', talks about how usually people tend NOT to take responsibilities for their mistakes; the finger is always pointing outwards in self-defence. They feel that they are victimised by circumstances and other people who are beyond their control. This victimised perspective denies chances for self-reflections and learning from mistakes.

The author, Susan Cramm claims that "...what really matters is not what happens to you or around you; what matters is how you respond and what you learn from it. Unfortunately, most people have a difficult time acknowledging their own accountability for the messes they find themselves in..."

These are excuses we often hear, "But they wanted it done cheaper and faster." "But they didn't involve me." "By the time I got it, it was already a mess." "He's always been like that." are indicators of denial of responsibilities.

The teaching of this article is very similiar to the 1st Habit - Being Proactive; we have to take responsibilities for our choices that we make. As much as we cannot control circumstance and other people, we can control our reactions to these externalities. By changing ourselves to react to these in a positive manner, we can INFLUENCE things to happen in the way that we want.