“As we’re currently hurdling through the unknown of COVID 19, I am noticing a great deal of lack of ownership. Everything is so “untested” and “unsure” that I have seen many leaders throw their hands in the air and point blame at others,” reflected one of my executive students during the pandemic. I couldn’t agree more! Even, or especially, in times of uncertainty and crises, leaders need to step up and own their situations.
I have seen the issue of ownership play out several times for leaders over the last few weeks. On the positive side, one executive that I coach told me about an incident that happened on her team where one of her employees relayed some inaccurate information to a customer about how the company is responding to COVID-19. The customer filed a complaint and the incident was brought all the way up to the company’s CEO’s attention. The CEO, who had been adamant about going above and beyond for customers during this tough period, was furious. He called a meeting with my client to discuss the issue. In the meeting, my client immediately owned up to the mistake: “Yes, this came from my area, I apologize. I have already talked to the employee and addressed it. It will never happen again.” By owning up to the situation clearly and bravely, the executive allowed the CEO’s anger to be replaced by appreciation and trust.
A leader that takes ownership during a crisis like my client did is, unfortunately, a rare commodity. In the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, BP CEO Tony Hayward abdicated ownership in one of the most significant environmental disasters of our times, and famously told reporters: “There’s no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back.” Similarly, after a passenger was violently removed from a United Airlines flight back in 2017, the company’s CEO Oscar Munoz issued a half-hearted apology that was more concerned with how the incident affected his employees, rather than acknowledging the trauma caused to the bloodied passenger. “This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United,” he said. “I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers.” Two full days later, severe backlash and outcry from the public and the media finally forced him and United to take responsibility for what happened. More recent examples from leaders mishandling the COVID-19 crisis come to my mind, but I don’t want to bring politics to this discussion.
As a leader, it is important to remember that when things go wrong, it is rarely your fault. But it is always your responsibility and you need to own it. This is an important principle that navy seals Jocko Willink and Leif Babin discuss in their remarkable book “Extreme Ownership.” In a previous article, I stressed that as a leader, anything that happens to you individually, or to your team and organization, are your responsibility. There are no excuses for mistakes or poor performance. You can’t blame bad luck, the economy, the competition, or even COVID-9. “On any team, in any organization, all responsibility for success and failure rests with the leader. The leader must own everything in his or her world. There is no one else to blame. The leader must acknowledge mistakes and admit failures, take ownership of them, and develop a plan to win,” the seals argue.
Putting It All Together
Admitting mistakes is empowering, as long as you are not doing it every day. Especially in times of crises and uncertainty, when decision-making is fast and furious, perfection is unrealistic. Leading by example, being accountable and taking immediate action to correct the problem are hallmarks of high-performing leaders.
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Dr. Amer Kaissi is a Professional Speaker, Executive Coach and an expert on Leadership, Humility & Ambition, Assuming Positive Intent, Psychological Safety & Accountability, Growth Mindsets & Resilience. He is the author of five books.
