Leadership Catalyst Blog
Be a Leader: “Take the Blame”
All Blog Posts, Change / 26.04.2013
From childhood, most of us try to avoid responsibility for negative outcomes because of the fear of punishment that might accompany it. This thoughtful article suggests that “Contrary to what you may feel in the moment, taking the blame is the power move, strengthening your position, not weakening it.”
Rather than making you vulnerable, taking the blame for something that you are reasonably associated with makes you appear trustworthy and responsible, and changes the mood in the room from pointing fingers to one of constructive problem solving. As a senior leader, taking the blame for things you are remotely connected to in a meeting reinforces a culture of accountability and “no excuses”.
Take a few moments and explore “Why You Should Take the Blame” …..and share it with your team as a tool for tearing down silos between departments.
Tags: blame, Vistage, Vistage Peer Groups