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Leadership Means Owning the Failure
Leadership 101
As leaders, we often take pride in guiding our teams to success. We celebrate their achievements, acknowledging the collective effort that made it possible. But when failure strikes, the burden of responsibility shifts. We blame external circumstances, individual shortcomings, or unforeseen challenges. The hard truth is that leadership means owning failure just as much — if not more — than success.
Recently, I faced a situation where my team fell short of expectations. Looking back, the failure was not due to a lack of effort or commitment on their part. It was my failure to put the right people in the right places. I had miscalculated not just their individual abilities but also the team dynamics that would allow them to thrive together.
The Wrong Fit Can Undermine the Right Intentions
In assembling a team, skill is often the first criterion we consider. But skill alone does not guarantee success. Team chemistry, communication styles, and working rhythms matter just as much. In this case, I had assigned responsibilities based on technical capabilities without fully accounting for how these individuals would collaborate.
I also overestimated the ability of some individuals to stretch beyond their comfort zones and…
