 The CNO's number two signature behavior is to take responsibility for your own actions. This seems intuitive, right? It's the behavior we're taught from an early age. However, there's often a strong temptation to push responsibility elsewhere. We can blame our subordinates for not following orders, or our superiors for not making their intentions clear. We can blame policy, the bureaucracy, poor circumstances, or even the weather when things go bad. All of this is understandable and may even have elements of truth. But the problem is, as soon as we make an excuse or assign blame, we stop looking at our own responsibility in the event. When we accept responsibility, then we ask ourselves the hard questions. What could I have done better? How could I have communicated more clearly? How could I have better prepared for these circumstances? Accepting responsibility helps us learn and makes us more effective leaders. Lead well this week.