GOVERNMENTS AND companies are busy trying to balance the books and stay afloat. Beneath this façade of financial correction, a blame game is proceeding apace. At the same time, acceptance of responsibility is thin on the ground, in both political and business arenas.
Perhaps this level of denial is a result of the eagerness to point the finger and the contingent fear that taking responsibility might put you in the firing line. It’s understandable, on a human level, if unacceptable from both an organisational and leadership point of view.
Failures are put down to uncontrollable external factors and some shadowy evil influence known only by the names “global markets” or, more recently, “the financial crisis”. We don’t know who they are or where their evil lair is, but they seem to have it in for us.
There are always going to be external factors at play in business. It’s how you cope with them that determines success or failure. And, if you are one of the lucky few, you can even be the one to drive the changes in your sector. Sitting back and bemoaning your plight is not going to get the business anywhere. There are countless examples of how this approach leads only to the social welfare office.
External factors – economic, social and technological – are facts of business life. Companies must be alert to the potential for a complete overhaul and act accordingly.
The story of Lego is an example of how strong leadership and refocusing on the basics can pay dividends. Even in this tale, mistakes were made – but infallibility is not part of the job description for either political or business leaders, despite the public’s expectations. The ability to accept responsibility for mistakes, however, should be a prerequisite for any leadership role. It is a far more useful approach than the one traditionally adopted by many bosses in public and private life: basking in the glow or success while blaming every ill on factors outside of their control. This is akin to swimming with the tide, but in times like this it’s a surefire way to a watery grave.
