President Harry Truman use to have a sign on his desk that read: “The Buck Stops Here”. No one questioned what it meant. The implications were clear for all to see. He was the decision maker for the nation and regardless of what decision he needed to make on any given subject, it was his charge to be aware of all aspects of a question and take responsibility. That concept came with huge tasks and burdens, however, it also provided accolades for a job well done and the gratitude of an entire nation when matters turned out well.
The saying “the buck stops here” derives from the slang expression “pass the buck” which means passing the responsibility on to someone else. The latter expression is said to have originated with the game of poker, in which a marker or counter, frequently in frontier days a knife with a buckhorn handle, was used to indicate the person whose turn it was to deal. If the player did not wish to deal he could pass the responsibility by passing the “buck,” as the counter came to be called, to the next player.
Mitford M. Mathews, ed., A Dictionary of Americanisms on Historical Principles (Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1951), I, pages 198-199.
Given the way in which our society is currently spinning, some of those slower, more simple truths seem to elude us. Taking responsibility for both the good and the bad seems to have been left back in another time. That ideal spoke to a consciousness that when people gave you their word, whether personally or in business, it was binding. It meant something of value. It meant that their business was being judged on, not only what they did, but also by who they were as people. Businesses gave credit to people and other businesses and bills got paid. How you conducted yourself in business was a reflection of how you conducted yourself in the community. And it mattered. You knew where the buck stopped.
It appears that education lies at the root of understanding this concept. Whether that education is merely passing information succinctly from one person to another, or it requires a formal structure for the dissemination of a paradigm shift . . . education is key.
Delegation of job tasks has historically been the sign of a company being progressive, solid and understanding the value of its team players. By empowering individuals within an organization with autonomous decisions, they are being vested in charting the course of the company. While this is an extremely positive aspect of business building, there may be a downside. Delegation of authority without appropriate education to higher ups may exacerbate difficult situations when not fully realized. It becomes the responsibility of the delegated individual to provide astute snapshot views; while the CEO or business owner must ultimately be responsible for acquiring sufficient knowledge to understand any situation that presents itself. Support to the delegated person must be bestowed in an effort of good faith and team building.
In today’s marketplace and current economic climate you can not “pass the buck” without extensive ramifications. The fact of the matter remains, that even subtle changes may alter the perception of the business by the public or be perceived differently by the internal personnel. At the eleventh hour of any situation, it becomes inappropriate for any leader to feign ignorance.
All too often in business today, the velocity of execution for a project or product sometimes does not allow for a sufficient internal learning curve. Nor does it constitute a complete understanding of the work that actually happens in order to accomplish the objectives. The responsibility of some of the decision-making may be assigned to specific personnel who are more knowledgeable in unique areas of expertise than the business manager, senior staff or even the CEO. This is best illustrated within the arena of internet solutions, marketing systems and social media; where companies are scrambling at breakneck speed to keep pace with their competition. They may even be utilizing outside sources to accomplish their goals. Unfortunately, by implementing a course of action quickly, an information saturation point may be lost. There is no room available for grasping the comprehensive value of what was actually executed and delivered.
As businesses grow and try new ideas, they must also remember to retain some time honored practices that bespeak good business. Know your audience. Conduct a feasibility study in advance of launching any new endeavor. Social networking is the new “party-line” of today’s technology. Use it and learn from it. It is taking us back to reconnecting with each other on a personal level and it works. It brings a sense of personal involvement back to business.
When all is said and done, regardless of whether a project, product or situation is a stellar success or needs to be revamped and examined as simply a learning exercise; it is incumbent upon the decision-maker to be aware of all aspects of the process, be prepared to honor the company’s commitments and make sure there are no surprises!
Become A Fan on Facebook
Follow Us on Twitter