Stopping Instead of Passing the Buck
by Miki SaxonBack when I had more time and I wrote for Technorati I talked about the importance of taking responsibility and, based on current events, it’s time to reprise that idea, but rather than writing it all over again I am reprinting it here.
Bucking “I Didn’t Know”
25 years ago Iran-Contra brought forth the claims of ignorance from Ronald Reagan, President of the United States.
The News Corp scandal unfolded amidst the emphatic protestations by Rupert Murdoch and son James that they knew nothing about the phone hacking and that it certainly wasn’t wide spread.
Ex Atlanta schools chief Dr. Beverly L. Hall claims she knew nothing of the cheating that was rife across the entire school system that she ran.
And my reaction now is exactly the same as it was a quarter of a century ago; ‘did they know’ was the wrong question.
In fact, the focus shouldn’t even be a question, but a statement, ‘they should have known’.
Harry S. Truman, another President of the US, had a sign on his desk that said, “The Buck Stops Here,” a sentiment you don’t hear much about these days.
Rather, when something goes wrong, whether in business, politics, education or religion, what we hear is “I/we didn’t know” or we are given reasons and the givers assume that the reasons make the act acceptable.
People who claim positions of leadership create/condone the culture under which everyone else operates.
They must understand that the position requires them to take responsibility—no matter what happens on their watch—and the higher the position the greater the responsibility.
That damn buck needs to stop.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Article first published as Bucking “I Didn’t Know” on Technorati
