Business By Hormozi #118: Leadership says You Can’t Tell Someone What to Do Then Blame Them When It Doesn’t Work

The Real Responsibility of Leadership

Sam had just hired a new team member, Laura, to manage a crucial project. Confident in her skills, Sam laid out a detailed plan, instructing Laura exactly what steps to take. Sam's expectations were clear: the project needed to be completed on a tight deadline, and there was no room for failure.

Over the next few weeks, Laura worked diligently, following Sam’s instructions to the letter. However, when the project hit some roadblocks and ultimately failed to meet expectations, Sam immediately shifted the blame to Laura. After all, she was the one executing the plan.

Laura, feeling defeated, couldn’t understand how it had gone wrong. She had done everything she was told. But Sam wasn’t having it. "This is your fault," Sam said. "You didn’t hit the goals."

That moment became a turning point for Sam—because deep down, Sam knew something was wrong. If you hire someone, ignore their input, dictate every action, and the plan fails, it’s not just the employee’s fault—it’s a failure in leadership.

The Key to Effective Leadership

Leadership isn’t about dictating every single step. It’s about guiding and empowering your team. If you give someone the responsibility to execute a task, you also need to trust their judgment, provide the right resources, and be accountable for the success or failure of the project.

If a leader hires someone, gives them clear direction, but refuses to listen to feedback or consider possible flaws in the plan, they’re setting the employee up for failure. Good leadership involves collaboration, not just delegation.

When a leader tells someone what to do, and the plan fails, the responsibility doesn’t fall solely on the employee—it’s a shared responsibility. The leader’s role is to provide support, guidance, and solutions, not just blame.

The Cost of Blaming Others

Blaming employees for failure doesn’t just hurt morale—it can lead to a toxic work environment. Employees need to feel like they have the freedom to contribute ideas, offer feedback, and collaborate on solutions. When they know they will be blamed for things outside of their control, it stifles creativity and undermines trust.

Furthermore, constantly blaming others for failures limits growth. As a leader, the true growth comes from analyzing mistakes, understanding what went wrong, and making changes to avoid similar outcomes in the future. Leaders must own their part in the outcome, good or bad.

Empowering Employees to Succeed

If you want your employees to succeed, give them the space to own their work. Instead of controlling every decision, allow them to make choices and then support them when things don’t go as planned. Teach them how to learn from their mistakes and empower them to improve.

Trust is a fundamental aspect of leadership. If you trust your team, they will have the confidence to take calculated risks and think outside the box. If they know they won’t be blamed for every failure, they will feel free to innovate and contribute in ways that drive success for the company.

Conclusion

Leadership is about support, guidance, and shared responsibility. If you hire someone, give them clear directions, and then blame them when things fail, you’re missing the point of leadership. You can’t tell someone what to do and then blame them when it doesn’t work.

As a leader, it’s your responsibility to provide not just the task, but the resources, support, and environment in which your team can thrive. Take accountability, learn from the failure, and help your team grow. True leadership is about empowering others, not just assigning blame.