The Mantra of “It Was the Fault of a Previous Administration or Leader”
How often do we hear leaders—whether in the Maldives or across global organizations and nations—blaming their predecessors when faced with challenges? It has become an all-too-common excuse, used to deflect responsibility rather than focus on solutions. A capable and visionary leader does not dwell on the past or assign blame; they take ownership, move forward, and create positive change.
While it is natural for leaders to enter a role with expectations, those expectations should never come at the expense of blaming others. Leadership is about progress, not excuses.
No leadership book, principle, or lesson advocates that success is built by blaming those who came before you. A leader’s role is to take what has been handed to them and make it better. As my mentor, Ron Kaufman, profoundly puts it:”Our role as human beings is to leave our communities, organizations, and nations better than we found them.”
Extensive leadership case studies and research highlight that great leaders do not waste time finding faults in the past. Instead, they build upon what has been done, appreciate prior efforts, and focus on achieving results.
These timeless quotes from remarkable leaders serve as valuable wisdom for today’s leadership:
“Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.” – John F. Kennedy
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” – Henry Kissinger
After all, as Winston Churchill once said: “The price of greatness is responsibility.” True leaders understand that their legacy is built on actions, not blame.