Taking responsibility and sharing credit is the mark of any true leader. Unfortunately, many people in today’s business environment look for opportunities to build themselves up while tearing others down. Not only does that create a tense work environment at best, but it also stifles productivity. Who wants to work in a place where everyone else gets the credit for things that go right and are worried about being blamed if things go bad?
Bear Bryant showed why he was the kind of leader people love following when he said:
If anything goes bad, I did it.
If anything goes semi-good, then we did it.
If anything goes real good, they did it.
Bear Bryant was the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. He won the national championship six times and set the record as the all-time (up to that time) most successful coach in NCAA Division I college football, with a record of 323-85-17. (source: Wikipedia)
Last Friday I took my entire team out to lunch to celebrate. We are celebrating because we just signed the biggest contract in our company’s history. What did they have to do with getting the contract? Well, everything! Its the past successes of each of the team members that allows us to achieve new contracts today.
Do you hoard your victories or do you share them? Do you accept responsibility even when it may be someone else’s fault, or do you always make sure the higher-ups know who really blew it.
Hey, I know its hard. One of my biggest pet peeves is being blamed for something I didn’t do. But true leadership means accepting responsibility when it is yours to accept and share the glory… when its yours to accept!