Fix the Problem NOT the Blame

I assigned Tim a project rebuilding and refinishing a bookcase. It was not a huge project. The unit stands under 4’ tall and is about 3’ wide. It was probably built in the 1920s or 1930s. Originally nailed together, it was wobbly. The owner asked us to disassemble the bookcase and dowel it all together, plus other work to make the piece rigid. Installing a new back and refinishing were a part of the work.

A Faulty Furniture Fix

While inspecting the newly doweled and glued piece I discovered that it was just as shaky as when it was delivered to us. Tim performed the repairs just as I had prescribed but the fix did not fix. So whose fault is it when a project has problems? Is it the responsibility of the craftsman who made insufficient repairs? Or the boss who planned the work but did not know how poorly the work was going? Is it nobody’s fault and we just have to fix it?

The Business Owner’s Responsibility

Here is how I have learned to think about problems on the down line.

It is pretty simple really. I own the business so every problem is my fault. Now, we all understand and believe that when we have a problem with someone else’s work. Say you take your lawnmower in for repairs. After you pick up the repaired machine you get home and find the work was done poorly. Back you go to see who? The mechanic who did the work? No sir—you go to the department manager and if he won’t help you go to his manager. We all do it because we understand that the person at the top is, ultimately, responsible. And what is true for other businesses is true for mine. I am responsible for everything that happens under my care.

Christian Responsibility

As a Christian business man I am doubly responsible because the Bible teaches covenantal responsibility, sometimes for events we were not even alive to see. For instance, when the prophet Daniel prays for the return of Israel from Babylon to their land, he makes a confession of sin for their nation (Israel) and includes himself as guilty even though Daniel was not even alive when Israel committed the sins for which God punished them with Babylonian captivity.

Just Fix it—No Excuses

The point is, that we need to take responsibility for more than we think. That means I cannot push off blame for problems on my workers. I do not get to tell the customer that the worker was new and it was his fault a problem happened; so, no excuses to a customer—not ever. I try to remember that but temptation is always at the door to blame somebody else. Fixing the blame does not fix anything is a lesson I am continually learning. If I practice that morality my apprentice just might learn good behavior from me. That is called discipleship. It is one of the duties and benefits of being the master craftsman.