Last week I met with members of a Board of Directors who oversee an organization that governs many millions of dollars in assets. As we talked, one of the Directors said, “It is so hard to hear people complain when we are doing the very best we can on behalf of our organization [with this recent project]”
My response: “By analogy, as Directors you are like the quarterback(s) of a football team …because you receive more of the credit - and more of the blame - than you deserve of either one.”
Welcome to leadership. Yes, there can be a reward for leadership whereby the leader receives all of the attention – and often all of the credit – when the organization is doing well. But there is also a countervailing price-tag. Because when the enterprise is not doing well, the leader often takes all of the blame and thereby is credited as the sole reason for the downturn (or failure).
This will never change.
Even though when things are going well the selfless leader defers all of the credit by pointing to the team as the reason for success (as he or she should do), the blame will never land anywhere else but squarely on the shoulders of the leader. In the real world, when there is a downturn the leader will take the hits. That’s just the way it goes with leadership…and so we should never be surprised when the clouds gather over the head of the “quarterback.”
Leadership. More of the credit…and More of the blame.
The Board members with whom I met were awakened to this truth and its stark reality last week. Then they were reminded and renewed, with courage, in their commission: “Welcome to the role of leadership.”