It is a pleasure for me to be able to address a topic of importance to all professionals, and certainly to those of us here at Dewberry: the importance of being both responsive and responsible to our teammates, customers, and clients. If we remain focused on meeting our customers' needs within the authorities, responsibilities, and professional guidelines we have been given, we will all be successful as individuals and as a firm.

Responsibility and responsiveness have the same Latin root, responsus. Responsible means being morally accountable for one's actions while responsive means reacting in a desired or positive way or quick to react. In order for someone to be accountable within the purview of their responsibilities there must be commensurate authority (autoritatem), which gives that person the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise act to settle issues or disputes. Responsibility without authority undercuts a person's ability to be responsible and responsive. Clear authority enables one to accept responsibility for and be held accountable for actions taken on behalf of teammates, the firm, and the client.

I like to think about one's ability to "do right" by teammates and customers within the context of what I call the 3 R's (and I don't mean reading, writing, and arithmetic). To me, the 3 R's—doing the right thing, for the right reason, and most importantly, in the right way—are key to ensuring that one will always discharge responsibilities properly within the authorities granted. How does one go about understanding what the 3 R's are and their meaning for the many professionally challenging circumstances that we face daily?

In my view every professional goes through a maturation process, founded upon three key elements that help shape their management and leadership abilities. These elements are a solid academic background, challenging professional experiences of increasing responsibility, and a willingness to be a life-long learner. This combination will ensure that you as a leader are prepared for each stage of your professional life and will engender a strong sense of responsibility and responsiveness to your teammates and to your clients.

This is true even in those circumstances where you must say "no" to a customer. However, one must always caveat a "no" with a "no, but..." such as "no, but here is another way or another capability or approach that will meet your need." Never leave a teammate or client without an answer or an alternative. To do so guarantees that they will never be a repeat customer. Clearly the qualities of responsibility and responsiveness reflect well on the reliability and trustworthiness of the individual who possesses them and on the firm he or she serves.