Would you blame your subordinate or shoulder responsibility?

Hi Nerissa, that's an interesting question. Maybe I will shoulder responsbility in front of my boss and other department heads. It is expected of a supervisor to defend his or her people, and to bear responsibilities for the performance of his or her team. But I will give this lousy subordinate a wacking behind closed door, so that he won't make the same stupid mistake twice.

I would hold myself responsible precisely because I'm there for a reason. I should be supervising my subordinate's work. It is my responsibility to make sure the job is finished on time and that it is done right and up to par with the company's expectations. If my subordinate failed to perform as expected, I would voice out my disappointment and tell my subordinate that I expect something better next time. At the same time, I would apologize to my boss and promise to follow my subordinate's work more closely in upcoming projects.

There is this saying that there is no weak soldiers under a strong general. Having said that, if you have delegated a job to a subordinate, I am sure you would have known if he can do the job. So if he performs badly, I would think it is the supervisor who should be accountable and take responsibility. Afterall, the supervisor is there to guide and not delegate blindly.

If I was this supervisor, I'll absolutely assume this responsibility. Because it's indeed my responsibility. The reason you're supervisor is you have more duties than your subordinate. If they make any mistake, you should assume the consequence. Of course you must warn him and help him find a best solution. Yes, professional environment is somewhat severe and cool. So what should we do is keeping our heart warm.