When It Flows Downhill
A friend was talking of a meeting with his boss, his boss's boss, and his boss's boss's boss. Whew, fun stuff. The purpose was to review the status of a complicated newly developing project assigned to my friend not long ago. My friend brought all the information but was surprised when he was told they didn't want to see or hear any of the information. They only wanted to know why it wasn't done ~ but didn't want to hear any reasons. Through the frustrating hour, the bottom line was the top guy had not put enough importance on the project until he was recently held accountable. Not wanting to be at blame, he then put pressure on the next and then the next and finally the project person was grilled as if it was all his fault. In reality, had the project been started when assigned to the top guy, it would have been where it needed to be at this point. Anyone out there "feel this person's pain"? I know I did.
If you are to blame for a problem and you push that blame downhill, as this top guy did, what is the outcome? Does the project move faster and with a more satisfactory outcome? The project may speed up but at what cost to you and the company in subtle ways? Here are some ramifications to letting it all roll downhill from you.
Because of your failure, as a supervisor, to make a good decision on a project you are now experiencing ramifications from your superiors. It takes a pretty strong person to admit their own mistake and take the lumps. It also takes a pretty strong person to take the lumps when an employee under your responsibility makes a mistake and you are held accountable.
Refusal to take responsibility for your actions/or/inactions has examples from the beginning of time. In Genesis 3:12, Adam is pointing his finger at Eve for eating the apple. In Exodis 12-21+, Aaron is blaming the people for the golden calf. In Matthew 27:24, Pilate is washing his hands of the circumstances leading to the death of Jesus. You will find NO example in the Bible of it being a good thing to not take responsibility for your own actions or to blame others.
The ramifications from your employees is this: They will never respect you again. They will not believe you have Christian values. They will not rally to your side on professional nor personal issues. They will never give you credit for anything. They will spend an enormous amount of time and energy discussing what you did. They will learn to sabatoge your projects in ways you can't prove. Voluntary overtime to help will grind to a halt. They will make jokes at your expense. They will eventually show your boss he should have reason to doubt your worth. In other words, letting the ramifications of your mistake flow down hill may eventually drown you.
The ramifications of your actions on your employees: They will not feel a part of a team working for the better of the company. They will find their job unsatisfacory and may slowly stop giving their best. They will feel betrayed and will withdraw their loyality to you (and possibly to the company). Quite probably, they will seek work in another department, for another individual, or another company. And all because you couldn't stand up like an adult and a Christian and accept responsibility. Little ol' you making such a big wave of ramifications.
Let me tell you I have never felt more integrity than when I did a tough thing, for the right reasons and at the right time. Protecting your employees from the river of ramifications from your error is the right reason for the right time. What are the ramifications of accepting responsibility of your own mistakes:
They could be huge if the mistake was huge or if your superiors use poor judgement. You could be fired, demoted, or disciplined. You could learn what you did wrong and use it to make yourself a better supervisor. You can relish being humble of spirit by knowing you made the mistake and admitted. Mistakes are not always sins. Failure to take responsibility once you know you have made a mistake is definately a sin. "Acts 17:30-31 "And the times of this ignorance God overlooked but now commandeth all men every where to repent; Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."
Had my friend's supervisors accepted the blame of their choices, my friend would have worked his fingers to the bone trying to help "save" them all. Now, he is discouraged and has actually slowed his effort because all he previously did and gave was not valued. He has the integrity to do a good job but the lost respect for those involved in this situation will throw a long ugly shadow on this operation.
If you are to blame for a problem and you push that blame downhill, as this top guy did, what is the outcome? Does the project move faster and with a more satisfactory outcome? The project may speed up but at what cost to you and the company in subtle ways? Here are some ramifications to letting it all roll downhill from you.
Because of your failure, as a supervisor, to make a good decision on a project you are now experiencing ramifications from your superiors. It takes a pretty strong person to admit their own mistake and take the lumps. It also takes a pretty strong person to take the lumps when an employee under your responsibility makes a mistake and you are held accountable.
Refusal to take responsibility for your actions/or/inactions has examples from the beginning of time. In Genesis 3:12, Adam is pointing his finger at Eve for eating the apple. In Exodis 12-21+, Aaron is blaming the people for the golden calf. In Matthew 27:24, Pilate is washing his hands of the circumstances leading to the death of Jesus. You will find NO example in the Bible of it being a good thing to not take responsibility for your own actions or to blame others.
The ramifications from your employees is this: They will never respect you again. They will not believe you have Christian values. They will not rally to your side on professional nor personal issues. They will never give you credit for anything. They will spend an enormous amount of time and energy discussing what you did. They will learn to sabatoge your projects in ways you can't prove. Voluntary overtime to help will grind to a halt. They will make jokes at your expense. They will eventually show your boss he should have reason to doubt your worth. In other words, letting the ramifications of your mistake flow down hill may eventually drown you.
The ramifications of your actions on your employees: They will not feel a part of a team working for the better of the company. They will find their job unsatisfacory and may slowly stop giving their best. They will feel betrayed and will withdraw their loyality to you (and possibly to the company). Quite probably, they will seek work in another department, for another individual, or another company. And all because you couldn't stand up like an adult and a Christian and accept responsibility. Little ol' you making such a big wave of ramifications.
Let me tell you I have never felt more integrity than when I did a tough thing, for the right reasons and at the right time. Protecting your employees from the river of ramifications from your error is the right reason for the right time. What are the ramifications of accepting responsibility of your own mistakes:
They could be huge if the mistake was huge or if your superiors use poor judgement. You could be fired, demoted, or disciplined. You could learn what you did wrong and use it to make yourself a better supervisor. You can relish being humble of spirit by knowing you made the mistake and admitted. Mistakes are not always sins. Failure to take responsibility once you know you have made a mistake is definately a sin. "Acts 17:30-31 "And the times of this ignorance God overlooked but now commandeth all men every where to repent; Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."
Had my friend's supervisors accepted the blame of their choices, my friend would have worked his fingers to the bone trying to help "save" them all. Now, he is discouraged and has actually slowed his effort because all he previously did and gave was not valued. He has the integrity to do a good job but the lost respect for those involved in this situation will throw a long ugly shadow on this operation.
posted by Diane Gibson at
6:32 AM
