There’s No Failure, Only Feedback
This perspective encourages you to recognize that every outcome, whether successful or not, offers valuable insights for improvement. It fosters a culture of continuous learning where every misstep becomes an opportunity for growth, ultimately rippling out and driving collective success with greater speed and efficiency.
I come from a background rooted in extreme accountability. It’s a mindset that says, “Whatever happens, it's on me.” (To be clear, this doesn’t mean everything is always your fault. Life isn’t that simple.) But here’s the thing - the mindset of extreme accountability is the most productive framework I know to examine any situation and ask:
“What can I do differently to get a better outcome next time?”
For example, imagine you’re in a conversation, and the message doesn’t land the way you intended. Maybe the other person completely misunderstood what you were trying to say. In moments like that, your first reaction might be to think, "They didn’t get it." But extreme accountability flips that and says, “If they didn’t hear what I meant, that’s on me. The meaning of communication isn’t my intent, it’s about how the other person received the message.”
This mindset leads you to reflect: “How could I have communicated better? How could I have met that person where they were emotionally, or better tailored my message to their communication style?”
In any situation, you can spend energy blaming external factors, or you can take ownership of what you can and learn how to adapt, grow, and influence the outcome in a more meaningful way.
It’s no different with leadership. When someone on my team fails, it’s easy to look at all the variables and shift blame - to point to external circumstances, lack of resources, or even the individual’s own shortcomings.
But in truth, everything rises and falls on leadership.
As a leader, it's my responsibility to ensure my team is set up for success. That means they have clear direction, the right tools, and the support they need to perform. If someone isn’t getting results, that’s on me. Not because I can control every outcome, but because I create and influence the environment. It's my job to recognize where the gaps are and figure out how we can come together to find new solutions.
Leadership is about taking accountability for when things are going well, but especially when they aren’t.
It’s easy to bask in the glow of success, but true leadership shines in the face of adversity. When challenges arise, the onus is on the leader to analyze the situation holistically, recognizing that every outcome - good or bad - reflects on their leadership. This means being willing to acknowledge mistakes and using those experiences as opportunities for growth.
Extreme accountability isn’t about blame.
It’s about empowerment.
This shifts the focus from fault-finding to personal growth and development.
When leaders adopt a mindset of extreme accountability, they model behavior for their teams, showing that growth comes from learning and adapting, rather than assigning blame. This approach inspires others to embrace accountability as well, creating a ripple effect throughout the organization. When everyone is aligned with this mindset, the entire team becomes more resilient and innovative; because when you take full responsibility, you unlock the power to change the outcome.
This proactive stance allows leaders to navigate challenges with agility, turning setbacks into stepping stones for future success. It cultivates a team culture of continuous improvement where everyone is invested in the mission and empowered to contribute their best efforts.
-Joe
Joe Arroyo is the expert on recruiting, selecting, training, and retaining world-class talent. As CEO of Vision Architect and Convert, him & his team have been "building business by building people” since 2001.
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