Waiting for SOMEBODY or ANYBODY to Show Up
I grew up in a home where I was “Somebody, ” and my brother was “Anybody.” When Mom shouted, “Will Somebody please take out the garbage,” it was a statement not a question and I jumped to attention. If the question was, “Did Anybody feed the dogs?” my brother was on the hook. Regardless, we knew that when the call went out, we had to show up. This approach helped us develop a strong sense of personal accountability.
Of course, the somebody/anybody labels were an inside family joke, but unlike many dental practices, there was always accountability for action. No one would sit around actually wondering whether Somebody was going to step up to solving the problem or whether Anybody cared enough to fix the issue. Garbage was taken out and the dogs lived a long, well-fed life.
Charles Osgood's poem "Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody." It is a classic reminder of the importance of execution, accountability, and finding purpose. This short story illustrates how our own inaction can have far-reaching consequences if we don't take responsibility for our actions. The poem also serves as an important reminder that even though it may be easier to blame somebody else for not getting things done, ultimately, each of us must take action to achieve success.
At the core of execution and accountability is the concept of purpose. This means that to accomplish any task or goal, we need to be clear on why we are doing it and our desired outcome. Without vision and a clear 'why', it's tough to create a culture of personal accountability.
The story of "Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody" highlights how important this concept is by showing us how a lack of purpose can lead to inaction. However, by understanding that we are responsible for our actions and that it is up to us to take action, we become empowered to make changes in our lives and reach the goals we set for ourselves.
The poem also serves as an important reminder of the importance of collaboration. This means that even though it may be easier to do things ourselves, it is better to work together and leverage the strengths of each team member to achieve the desired outcome. In other words, if everybody works towards a common goal, Somebody will be able to take action, and Anybody can help with whatever tasks need to be done.
Charles Osgood's poem "Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody" serves as a reminder of the importance of execution, accountability, and finding purpose.
"Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody."
by Charles Osgood
There was a most important job that needed to be done, And no reason NOT to do it, there was absolutely none. But in vital matters such as this the thing you have to ask, is WHO exactly will it be who’ll carry out this task.
ANYBODY could have told you that EVERYBODY knew, that this was something SOMEBODY would surely have to do. NOBODY was unwilling, ANYBODY had the ability, but NOBODY thought he was supposed to be the one.
It seemed to be a job that ANYBODY could have done, If ANYBODY thought he was supposed to be the one. But since EVERYBODY recognized that ANYBODY could, EVERYBODY took for granted that SOMEBODY would.
But NOBODY told ANYBODY that we are aware of, That he would be in charge of seeing it was taken care of. And NOBODY took it on himself to follow through and do what EVERYBODY thought that SOMEBODY would do.
When what EVERYBODY needs did not get done at all, EVERYBODY was complaining that SOMEBODY dropped the ball. ANYBODY then could see it was an awful crying shame, And EVERYBODY looked around for SOMEBODY to blame.
SOMEBODY should have done the job and EVERYBODY would have, But in the end NOBODY did what ANYBODY could have.