Leadership quote series - none of the credit, all of the blame.
Sep 12, 2024
I've been diving deep into all thing's leadership lately. Maybe it's part of my own journey to figure out the kind of leader I want to be. I carry around a notebook in my backpack where I jot down quotes that really resonate with me. I’m planning to blog about some of these quotes, so let’s start with one from Simon Sinek:
“None of the credit and all of the blame.”
This hits me in two ways:
The Blame:
Every failure my team experiences? It’s on me. Did I train them enough? Did I give them the right tools? Are they even the right fit for the role? Have I set them up for success, or am I throwing them into situations beyond their control?
When things go wrong and everyone starts pointing fingers at the sales team, do I pass the blame to the person who made the mistake, or do I own it as their leader? Do I use it as an opportunity to learn and guide my team better next time? These are the questions I ask myself every day in my current environment. I firmly believe that if something goes sideways in my department, it’s my responsibility.
That doesn't mean I go home and cry about it every night (though sometimes, I do). Instead, I use it as fuel—to figure out what went wrong, how I can fix it, and what my team needs to succeed.
The Credit:
Ah, the fragile egos of executive leaders. For high performers, this can be a tough one. The team crushes a month? That’s on them, not me. The team has an error-free weekend? They did that, not me. This should be our rinse-and-repeat as leaders.
Someone comes up with a brilliant idea, and maybe you thought of something similar a few months back. A shit leader says, “I said that months ago.” A good one keeps their mouth shut, champions the person’s idea, and even better, asks how they can help.
Of course, you can (and should) feel pride when your team is killing it. You should feel great! But when the higher-ups ask, “How did you make it happen?”—how do you respond? Do you talk about yourself, or do you talk about your people?
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