I received the dreaded phone call. "We have a major roof leak at the office,” was the message. Rushing to work, I arrived to find buckets catching water from the ceiling. An emergency phone call to the roofer led to the following conversation with the roofer: Me: “What did you find?” Roofer: “Dr. Little, this was my fault. I was working on the roof yesterday and this leak is because of me.” He then proceeded to give me the details of what happened. He also offered to pay for the electrical repairs and any other damage.
We live in a culture where blame and finger pointing vastly dominate the character trait of taking responsibility for one's behavior. Mistakes and failures are a part of life. How we handle those downfalls defines our ability to lead with authenticity and trust. Taking responsibility for our actions allows us to develop strong relationships that build a foundation for growth.
Thank you David, for owning up to your mistake. It gives me confidence that I can trust you for our future roofing needs. When we own our failures we send a strong message of leadership to those within our circle of influence. Taking personal responsibility for our own behavior truly allows us to make a difference.
Larry
The Leak
