Stepping Up

“The Five Rows of Responsibility”

You can improve your life – and the lives of others – in your Five Rows of Responsibility. Imagine how your smile affects the people in the five rows around you on a plane, and think of that as confirmation that you have a sphere you can influence. Your impact extends to your personal life, your home, your neighborhood, your workplace and the world at large. Those five rows on the plane connect your life with the lives of other people and events worldwide. “Step up” and take responsibility for what happens in your five rows. If everyone else did the same, society would improve, because all problems exist within someone’s Five Rows of Responsibility, and personal accountability should impel that person to act.

Stepping up is the bedrock of the “Responsibility Ripple”: When you step up by taking action, you inspire others; they inspire others, and the world changes. When things go badly, study your behavior and attitudes before placing blame. When things go well, notice how many people within your five rows share your happiness.

“It’s Not My Job, It’s Not My Fault”

Social psychologists divide people into two categories, ...