Leading with Integrity: Handling Credit and Blame

In your career, you’ll find yourself at the intersection of credit and blame many times. How you respond in these moments can significantly shape your leadership journey, but it will definitely inform how you are viewed by the people you work with.

Undeserved Praise

As a project manager, receiving credit when things go well – on those rare days – is all part and parcel of the role. But what if the praise is undeserved or disproportionate to your contribution to the success being celebrated? What if someone else is more deserving of the credit you are receiving?

The temptation to revel in the spotlight, especially after a challenging project, can be great. However, you have an obligation to ensure that the people who have contributed to that success are recognised. You might not be able to influence what form that recognition comes in, but you should make sure that the senior stakeholders on the project are aware of who they are.

Sharing accolades and promoting the team’s contributions is not just a gesture of authenticity but also a means to strengthen relationships. Benefits of this approach can include:

• Team Perception: Your team will view you as their advocate, eager to spotlight their efforts and successes to senior stakeholders they might not often engage with.
• Trust Building: A manager who celebrates collective achievements cultivates an atmosphere of mutual respect. This environment encourages team members to push their limits and surpass expectations.
• Reputation with Senior Leadership: Many top-tier leaders will value your contributions even if you redirect the praise towards your team. This is what good managers and leaders do. By highlighting the accomplishments of others over your own, you showcase humility and a team-first leadership style – attributes you’d want linked with your personal brand.

We all know someone who soaks up undue credit without shame. Don’t be that person. People will not want to work with you.

Unwarranted Blame

On the flip side, facing criticism, especially when it’s undeserved, can be challenging. Deadlines might shift, deliverables might not meet expectations, and stakeholder tempers can rise. As the project manager, you will often bear the brunt of this dissatisfaction.

You shouldn’t look to avoid blame, but instead focus on being able to handle it gracefully.

When criticism is imminent, avoid the impulse to pass the buck, even if it might seem justified. Blaming colleagues might provide a momentary reprieve, but it erodes trust in the long run. The consequences can be severe:

• Team’s Confidence: Assigning blame will kill any trust the team have in you. A team on edge, fearing scapegoating, will hesitate to highlight concerns, potential risks, or even innovative ideas. Why would they, when you may throw them under the bus if things do not go well?
• Stakeholder Perception: Senior stakeholders seek solutions, not excuses. Evading responsibility signals a lack of ownership. They see you as the project’s representative. If you’re not prepared to stand as that representative during both highs and lows, they’ll wonder if they should be speaking with someone else.

Instead, show dissatisfied stakeholders that you value their feedback. Give them the some space to express their concerns – within reason. Take the hit, if needs be – but be Resilient and maintain a future-focussed mindset.

Shift the focus to potential solutions, outline strategies to recover, or pinpoint if a decision from them is required based on what has happened. Good senior stakeholders will value a proactive, solution-driven approach over perfection.

Celebrate and Protect

Be a steadfast guardian for your team. Applaud their achievements during prosperous times and defend them during challenges. Positive feedback to them can come direct from senior stakeholders, negative feedback though should come from you. By ensuring credit is fairly distributed and taking blame head-on, you not only elevate your own professional stature but also build your team’s faith in your leadership.