A few weeks ago, I was attending the CBS Leadership Think Tank in Copenhagen.

The room buzzed with energy. Around me were leaders and managers from various sectors—tech, engineering, pharmaceuticals—all gathered to discuss the challenges and strategies of effective leadership.

I listened to questions from executives and felt the excitement of leaders coming together to share insights.

In the middle of the discussion, a question caught my attention. Yvette, a VP from a leading pharmaceutical company, stood up and asked,

“How do you handle the situation when you have empowered your team, delegated responsibilities, and things still go wrong—knowing that, as a leader, you’re still accountable for the outcome?”

The room fell silent for a moment. It was the kind of question that cuts right through to the heart of leadership.

I could see heads nodding in agreement as the panel took in her words. I’ve encountered this scenario many times in my coaching practice. It’s a question that haunts many leaders, especially in tech and engineering sectors, where stakes are high, and mistakes can have significant consequences.

I don’t even recall what the panel response was. As I heard Yvette’s question, my mind straight went back to a recent experience with one of my clients, a senior executive at a tech company.

Let me share his story.

The Unraveling of a Well-Planned Project

We were sitting in his office, the soft hum of servers and the faint scent of coffee hanging in the air. He looked frustrated, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed, staring at the ceiling.

“Florin, I did everything right,” he began, his voice tight. “I delegated a crucial project to my team. I set clear expectations, provided resources, and gave them the autonomy they needed. But now, the deadline’s passed, and the project is a mess. And here I am, facing the board tomorrow morning. I feel like I’m left holding the bag for something I didn’t even control.”

I could feel his frustration and anxiety—the same emotions I saw flicker across the face of a CEO sitting next to me that day in Copenhagen.

This is a universal challenge: balancing the need to empower your team with the fear that, when things go off track, the blame still falls squarely on your shoulders.

So, what do you do when delegation goes wrong?

1. Accept Accountability—But Don’t Shoulder the Blame Alone

The first step is reframing accountability.

Yes, you’re ultimately liable, but accountability doesn’t mean shouldering the blame alone.

This mindset shift is critical because it keeps you from falling into the trap of micromanaging or, worse, yanking control back from your team.

With my client, I asked him to take a deep breath and step back.

“You’re accountable, but your team is responsible for execution. Let’s figure out where things went wrong—together.”

This distinction is subtle but powerful.

It means that while you stand up and take ownership of the outcome, the responsibility for solving the problem is shared.

2. Conduct a Blame-Free Post-Mortem

When a project derails, it’s tempting to ask, “Whose fault is this?”

But this question is counterproductive.

Instead, focus on conducting a blame-free post-mortem. I suggested we bring the team together, not to dissect their mistakes, but to understand what happened and why.

We sat in a small conference room the next day.

Whiteboard markers in hand, I encouraged everyone to list what they thought went wrong—no blame, just facts.

“Maybe I didn’t flag a risk soon enough,” one team member said hesitantly. Another admitted, “I assumed we had more budget flexibility.”

Suddenly, the pieces started falling into place.

The problem wasn’t a lack of skill or effort—it was miscommunication and unchallenged assumptions.

3. Create Safety Nets Without Undermining Autonomy

The root issue, we realized, was a gap in how the project’s progress was being tracked.

He had given his team autonomy but hadn’t established enough safety nets to catch problems early.

We concluded they should implement structured yet nonintrusive check-ins: regular 15-minute stand-up meetings, shared project dashboards, and a clear “red flag” protocol for when anyone felt they were veering off course.

These measures provided oversight without compromising the team’s sense of ownership.

They could continue leading the project, but now, my client had a way to stay informed and course-correct without taking control back.

4. Shift from ‘Rescue Mode’ to ‘Coaching Mode’

My client’s instinct was to jump in and fix things himself.

It’s a natural response, but it sets a dangerous precedent.

“If you step in every time something goes wrong,” I suggested, “they’ll never learn to solve problems on their own. You’ll be stuck in firefighter mode forever.”

Instead, I coached him to ask guiding questions:

“What do you think the next step should be?”

“What resources do you need?”

“Who else can support you?”

This approach turns a delegation failure into a coaching opportunity.

It empowers the team to step up and solve the problem, rather than waiting for the leader to swoop in and save the day.

5. Communicate Proactively and Transparently

Finally, we talked about managing up.

I encouraged my client to proactively communicate the setback to his board, framing it not as a failure, but as an opportunity to improve the team’s processes.

Transparency builds trust.

By owning up to the issue and sharing how he was addressing it, he not only protected his credibility but also showed his team that it’s okay to admit when things don’t go as planned—as long as you’re willing to learn and improve.

Turning Setbacks into Successes

As I shared this story at a recent workshop on effective delegation, I could see participants nodding thoughtfully.

These situations will happen—it’s the nature of leadership. But the real test isn’t whether you can prevent every problem; it’s how you handle setbacks when they arise.

Effective leaders don’t just manage projects; they build resilient teams capable of navigating challenges on their own.

By reframing accountability, creating safety nets, shifting from rescue to coaching mode, and communicating openly, you can turn delegation failures into opportunities for growth—for both yourself and your team.

So, the next time you delegate a task and it goes off the rails, remember: you’re still the leader.

But how you respond will determine whether it becomes a failure or a stepping stone to future success.

Kindly,

Florin