The Blame-Game Is For Amateurs
During Labor Day Weekend, there was some great football. Colorado’s upset of №16 TCU — a team that played in the national championship game in January — was unquestionably the story of an otherwise chalky Week 1. (№24 Texas Tech was the only other team to lose Saturday.) While I’d love to try to play sports writer, that is not my bag.
Yet, something remarkable happened on Sunday evening; following a devastating loss to FSU, LSU’s Head Coach stepped up and took the blame for it. “We certainly are not the football team I thought we were,” Brian Kelly said Sunday after №5 LSU’s 45–24 loss to №8 Florida State, “and we’ve got to do a much better job, obviously, in developing our football team. We clearly were short in a lot of areas tonight, and that falls on me.”
“That falls on me.”
Powerful responsibility was on display, or it could have been.
In an era where leadership faces global meltdowns, Mother Nature’s fury, economic tailspins, or just corporate crapstorms — when the proverbial hits the fan, we turn our heads to the folks in charge.
Why?
We’re hardwired to believe they’ve got the roadmap out of hell.
Real leaders?
They’re not just titles; they’re the ones pushing forward with guts, vision, and a heart. If you’re at the helm and lack the stones or empathy, step down. Because leadership, especially when it gets dark, is about more than just pointing the way — it’s about having the spine and soul to see it through.
Amateur Hour Is Over
Alright, let’s not dress this up: leadership isn’t just about flaunting the fancy title. It’s about stepping up, especially when the chips are down. Why does a genuine leader shoulder the blame?
Simple: because that’s where the buck stops. A leader is the captain of the ship. If the ship hits an iceberg, you don’t blame the iceberg or the waves; you look to the captain.
Sure, it’s tempting to pass the buck, point fingers, or serve up some poor soul as the scapegoat. But that’s weak sauce. A true leader owns it. Owning mistakes not only reinforces trust but also sets a standard. It tells the team: “Hey, we mess up, we own up, we move on.” And guess what? It builds loyalty, respect, and a culture where people feel safe to innovate without the paralyzing fear of blame.
Blame-game? That’s for amateurs. Leadership? That’s about accountability, grit, and showing the troops that if you’re bold enough to lead, you’re bold enough to take the heat when things go south. Because in the end, leadership isn’t about avoiding blame, it’s about earning respect.
Blaming Your Players
A coach blaming their players? That’s leadership on life support. When you’re at the helm, your team’s performance is a direct reflection of your strategy, your training, and your culture.
Tossing your players under the bus? That’s a clear signal that you’re ducking responsibility. Instead of showcasing strength, you’re broadcasting insecurity. Great leaders own failures and share successes. If a coach can’t protect and stand by their team in the trenches, then they’re just playing dress-up in a leadership role.
In the end, passing the blame is a one-way ticket to losing respect, trust, and the locker room. It’s simple: If you’re in the hot seat, own it. No excuses.
Going Further Down The Field
Ah, strap in, because we’re about to go futher down the field with this.
When you think of iconic brands like Apple, Tesla, or Amazon, do you think they were built solely on the genius of Jobs, Musk, or Bezos? Hell no. These are the figureheads, the masthead brands we like to affiliate success with. But behind them is an intricate machinery of introspection, iteration, and adaptation. But let’s dig deeper.
The myth of perfection
First off, let’s get one thing straight. Perfection is the stuff of Greek myths and Hollywood endings. There’s no CEO, founder, or leader who’s aced every decision, every move. They’re not demi-gods. They’re mortals, just like you and me. They’ve had their share of missteps, PR nightmares, and product failures. Heck, I’ve had my days when I thought, “Brian, what the heck were you thinking?” But perfection is not the goal here; evolution is.
The 360-degree mirror
Here’s the thing. Great leaders don’t live in an echo chamber. They have this remarkable ability to turn the mirror onto themselves. Instead of finger-pointing, they do some serious self-reflection. This isn’t about self-deprecation, but about self-awareness. Knowing what went wrong is half the battle won. Accepting that you might be the problem is the first step to course correction.
Agility over ego
Ever notice how some brands pivot seamlessly while others seem stuck in the Stone Age? That’s the hallmark of a great leader. It’s not about being the smartest in the room; it’s about being the most adaptable. They don’t let their ego anchor them to sinking ships. They’re willing to offload weak traits, outdated strategies, and even their own biases for the greater good of the community or business.
Protecting the ecosystem
Now, this isn’t just about personal growth or the next Forbes cover story. This is about legacy. Whether you’re steering a tech giant or leading a small community, the ripple effects of your decisions, for better or worse, shape the ecosystem. That’s why the introspection isn’t just navel-gazing. It’s about preserving, nurturing, and evolving the larger system.
To wrap it up, it’s not about finding a leader who doesn’t stumble or misfire. It’s about rallying behind someone who knows when they’ve tripped, understands why, and makes damn sure they chart a smarter course forward. Because in the end, leadership isn’t about the glory of the sprint; it’s about the resilience of the marathon.
Playing The Blame Game
Why is it in poor form for leaders to play the blame game with their teams, players, or employees?
Leadership is Ownership
First and foremost, when you’re at the helm of the ship and it starts to sink, you don’t throw your crew overboard. Why? Because leadership is about ownership. The highs, the lows, the stellar quarterly reports, and the mishaps that make you want to bang your head against a wall. They’re all yours. A captain doesn’t blame the crew for rough seas; they navigate them.
The Domino Effect of Distrust
Ever watch a brand implode? Oftentimes, it starts from the inside out. When a leader points fingers, it erodes trust. And trust, once lost, is hellishly hard to regain. Blame breeds resentment, and resentment kills productivity. So while the blame might give temporary relief to a leader’s ego, it’s setting up the organization for long-term disaster.
Reflection of Choice
Here’s a cold hard truth: If a leader is consistently blaming their team, it’s a reflection on their choices.
Who hired that team?
Who trained them?
Who set the strategies and priorities?
The buck stops at the leader. If the team isn’t delivering, it’s often a systemic issue, not just individual incompetence.
Undermines Authority
Every time a leader passes the buck, they’re not just shedding responsibility; they’re shredding their authority. Leadership isn’t just about wielding power; it’s about commanding respect. And respect doesn’t flow from the blame.
Missed Opportunities for Growth
Mistakes, while painful, are growth goldmines. When a leader shifts focus from “Who messed up?” to “What can we learn?”, it creates an environment of continuous improvement. But if the narrative is consistently about blame, these growth opportunities are squandered.
Cultivates Fear, Not Innovation
Innovation thrives in environments where risks are taken. But if every mistake is met with blame, you’re not just stifling voices, you’re strangling innovation. Employees become risk-averse, and that’s the silent killer of progress.
So, in a world of instant gratification and micrometric attention spans, leaders should resist the knee-jerk reaction to blame. Because leadership isn’t a sprint of blame; it’s a marathon of accountability.
What If Kelly Didn’t Take Responsibility
Up until now, you’ve thought that Coach Brian Kelly did take responsibility for LSU’s loss, right?
Kelly was just getting warmed up.
“This is a total failure,” Kelly said, “from a coaching standpoint and a player standpoint that we have to obviously address and we have to own.”
Kelly described his team as a bunch of imposters.
“We thought we were the two-time defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs or something,” he said. “I don’t know what we thought, but we were mistaken.”
Mercy.
Now, look, not every team can be the two-time defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs… wait… I digress…
Dive into the realm of college football, and you’ll find a landscape of brands, yes, brands. Teams, coaches, they’re all brand names with equity, appeal, and a story. Enter Brian Kelly, a brand unto himself in the world of college coaching. But let’s peel back the gridiron and spotlights, shall we?
Kelly’s got chops, no one’s debating that. But a recurring narrative? This penchant for slinging his players and teams under the proverbial bus when things don’t roll right. Remember that time after a loss when instead of shouldering responsibility, he hinted his players weren’t executing well? Or when his comments on recruiting suggested that his players didn’t measure up? Classic Kelly.
Brands and Accountability
If Notre Dame, LSU, or any college football program is a brand, then the coach is the CEO. And just as with Apple, Amazon, or Tesla, when the brand takes a hit, you don’t see the CEO pointing fingers at the ground staff, do you? Leadership 101: You praise in public and critique in private.
The Price of Loyalty
Loyalty isn’t just about being there during the victories. It’s about standing by your team, your brand, when the chips are down. When Kelly throws his team under the bus, it’s akin to a brand betraying its customers. The cost? Loyalty. And that, my friends, doesn’t come with a price tag.
The Erosion of Trust
It’s simple. A team that doesn’t trust its leader will never reach its potential. When players feel scapegoated, trust erodes. And without trust, strategy, talent, and preparation — they’re all just buzzwords.
The Innovation Chokehold
Football, like business, thrives on innovation. But when players fear mistakes will land them in the blame spotlight, they play safe. They don’t innovate. They don’t take risks. A culture of blame is the silent assassin of progress.
Brand Equity and Longevity
Think long game. When you’re known not just for your game strategy, but your blame strategy, it tarnishes your brand equity. Future recruits notice. Players talk. And the narrative shifts from game wins to blame games.
In Closing, Er… The Extra Point
Leadership isn’t about shining in the limelight; it’s about standing in the front line during the tough times. Pointing fingers is easy. Taking responsibility? That’s the stuff of legends. For someone of Brian Kelly’s stature and experience, the continual game of blame isn’t just a bad play; it’s a strategic fumble of leadership principles.
PS. Thanks to Josh Bernstein who helped me through the thought process on this one.
Brian Fink is the author of Tech Talk To Me. He takes on the stress and strain of complex technology concepts and simplifies them for the modern recruiter. Fink’s impassioned wit and humor tackle the highs and lows of technical recruiting with a unique perspective — a perspective intended to help you find, engage, and partner with professionals.
