[May 7, 2017] It comes with being a leader … eventually you’re going find yourself paying for the mistakes of other leaders. New leaders should get used to the idea and present themselves professionally so the least amount of damage is done to them, other leaders, and to their vocation. Practically, the best way to handle being blamed for leader mistakes is to be a person known for solving problems and getting things done.
There are many reasons a leader can be blamed for other leader mistakes. Here are a few:
- Guilt by association: Problems (or errors) with the profession inevitably smear everyone equally regardless how good they are. I know several professional, trusted journalists but since the profession is looked upon as a bunch of charlatans, even they are seen [incorrectly] as corrupt, frequent liars, and unprofessional.
- Be personally blamed for another’s mistake: This is, in fact, rather common. For those being blamed it is crucial not to take it personally but to take immediate action to be part of the solution. This is difficult and a leader’s career may be stunted or even ruined despite not being guilty of anything. Bureaucracies are rife with “investigations” that can prove you innocent but because of the lack of timeliness a person may have promotions deferred or ideal assignments go to others.
- Volunteer to take responsibility for a mistake or failure: Those who’ve been in leadership positions for a long time have most likely taken the blame for the mistake of a subordinate. Leadership means taking care of people and sometimes it means protecting them by taking responsibility for their actions. It goes by many names but in most professions we call this “falling on one’s sword.”
Regardless of the reason, a leader must possess the following character traits: unquestionable integrity, intestinal fortitude, patience, thick-skinned, and most importantly transparency in all they do. Some call this being professional; I like to call it being realistic. One of my favorite mottos for leadership is that old Boy Scout motto, “be prepared.” Leaders who are prepared for foreseeable problems are neither caught off guard nor do they let their emotions take over.
A corollary to this idea (that a leader can be blamed for the mistakes of others), a leader has the ultimate responsibility for what happens or does not happen on any given task or mission. When there is a mistake or failure, blame is rightly placed on the leader … even if it was beyond their control. Leaders are tasked with the inherent authority to take all actions to both foresee problems and put into place plans and processes to overcome them.
It takes moral courage to stand up to be counted when being paying for the mistakes of others but that shows an unquestionable quality of first-rate leadership when they do.
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