GoKawiilEntrepreneur op-ed: Leaders urged to examine their own role before blaming staff for mistakes
A founder and Arizona State University lecturer argues that when workplace mistakes occur, leaders typically focus on identifying the individual responsible rather than examining the conditions that enabled the failure. The piece cites Gallup data showing managers account for at least 70% of variance in team engagement, with only 20% of employees globally engaged in 2025, to argue that leaders bear outsized responsibility for the environments in which mistakes happen.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The argument suggests that blame-first cultures may discourage employees from surfacing problems early, since people gauge how much truth is 'safe' to share with leadership. This framing could push managers to rethink accountability structures, though the author stresses that recognizing leadership's role does not eliminate individual responsibility for choices made.
- The op-ed recommends documenting the conditions behind a mistake before identifying who made it.
- Gallup data cited shows managers drive at least 70% of team engagement variance, with only 20% of employees engaged worldwide in 2025.
- The author argues accountability should increase with authority, not just flow downward to frontline staff.
Source: entrepreneur.com — Christopher Myers, 2026-10-24
Published there as: “Your Team’s Mistakes May Start With You. Ask These 3 Questions Before Assigning Blame.”
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