“Yeah, I missed the deadline. But what about what Alex’s team? They’re always late!” Ah yes, the familiar sound of what-about-ism in the workplace. The rapid pivot from personal accountability to finger-pointing.
I’ve seen this play out far too often. When one group (or leader) is called out for a miss or mistake, they immediately point to another group’s (or leader’s) failures.
Look, I get it. No one likes being under the spotlight when others have also fumbled.
But here’s the truth: you’re responsible for your house. And if you’re just pointing to someone else’s mess instead of cleaning your own, you’re abdicating your responsibility.
What-about-ism is more than just annoying. It’s toxic. It derails accountability, breeds blame, and stalls progress. Worst of all, it erodes–and ultimately destroys–trust.
True accountability has a simple framework:
- I acknowledge where I fell short.
- I own the impact it had.
- I commit to specific actions to fix it.
- I keep my finger pointed at me.
That last part is critical: Your accountability isn’t conditional on someone else taking theirs.
The opposite of what-about-ism is asking “What about me?”
Instead of deflecting, try:
- What could I have done differently?
- How did my actions contribute?
- What’s within my control to fix?
The real challenge is that what-about-ism feels justified in the moment. After all, other people DO make mistakes.
The hardest part of accountability is accepting that others’ mistakes don’t diminish our responsibility for our own.
So the next time you catch yourself starting a sentence with “Yeah, but what about…,” try this instead:
“Yes, that happened. Here’s what I’m doing to make it right.”
What about you? (See what I did there?) Where have you seen what-about-ism sneak into your team culture?
Looking to increase the cohesion, trust, and impact of your leadership team? Reach out and let’s discuss The Compass Team Experience and how I can help.
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