“It was Jaime’s fault,” said the supervisor. “No, it was yours,” I replied. Shortly after, I fired him. Not because the mistake happened—mistakes are inevitable—but because he chose to point fingers rather than take ownership. At that moment, I sent a clear message to all my managers and their supervisors about the importance of personal accountability.
I wasn’t joking, and it worked. The next time a big issue arose, a different supervisor stepped forward. He took responsibility for his team’s error and, in front of everyone, offered to work the rest of the week without pay as a way to make amends. I accepted his offer, but more importantly, I thanked him for owning up to the mistake. His willingness to be accountable set the tone for the entire team.
Leadership is hard because it starts with you. The kind of leadership I expect from myself and my team is about taking extreme ownership—being responsible for everything that happens, good or bad. It’s not normal, and it’s not always easy, but it’s essential.
When something goes wrong, the natural instinct might be to shift the blame, to find fault somewhere else. But true leadership starts with a simple act: looking in the mirror. Instead of pointing fingers at others, you ask yourself, What could I have done differently? Where did I fall short in guiding my team?
People who point fingers aren’t leaders—they’re bystanders, passengers in a vehicle they claim no control over. A real leader takes the wheel and accepts that every bump in the road is part of the journey.
Your job as a leader is not to find scapegoats; it’s to eliminate obstacles and clear the path for your team. Sometimes that means making tough calls, and sometimes it means standing up and admitting, “This one’s on me.” It sets a powerful example, one that builds trust, respect, and ultimately, a culture of accountability.
When your team sees you take responsibility, they understand that accountability isn’t about punishment—it’s about learning, growing, and preventing the same mistakes from happening again. They start to adopt that mindset themselves, not out of fear but out of a commitment to excellence.
So the next time your team fails, resist the urge to look outward. Look inward, own the problem, and work to make it right. Leadership is a mirror, and the reflection it shows is up to you.
Bottom line: Remember, there are no bad teams only bad leaders. When something doesn’t go according to plan, point to yourself before pointing to others.
