Avoid Distributed Responsibility
Find roles where the buck stops with you.
From the 2nd through the 6th grade I lived in Oklahoma City, where nothing mattered except football. More specifically, football at the University of Oklahoma. In those days, Barry Switzer ran an offense called the triple option, and it was quite the juggernaut. The team was so good at running this specific offense, that Coach Switzer was able to let then-number 1 ranked recruit Troy Aikman transfer to UCLA. Aikman went on to a Hall of Fame career (and four Super Bowl rings) with the Dallas Cowboys, and a true freshman named Jermelle Holieway won a National Championship as a true freshamn. That’s how good Oklahoma was at running the triple option
But Switzer did something in 1985 that flipped the college football world on its head. He tried to work the passing phenom Aikman into the OU offense. He even installed a pro-style passing scheme to take advantage of Aikman’s talents (a massive departure from their triple option tradition). But when Aikman was injured early in the season the team reverted to with their fabled triple option attack. The Sooners dominated that season and went on to win the 1985 National Championship, Aikman transferred to UCLA and the rest is history.
OK so what does a story about OU have to do with fundraising?
Well, in today’s fast paced fundraising environment, it can be tempting to take on roles that split responsibilites for a team’s success, or - if you’re leading an organization - to designate two (or more) persons responsible for specific or desired outcomes. This is the concept of distributed responsibility. Barry Switzer altered the team’s strategy to allow for two leaders - Aikman and Holieway - to share responsibility for the team’s success. But a huge home loss to VInny Testaverde’s Miami Hurricanes - and an injury to Aikman - left OU with no choice but to abandon their two-QB strategy, but the ultimate outcome (with a clear leader, and a clear strategy) ended up being truly historic.
While teamwork and collaboration in fundraising are vital, there’s a hidden danger in creating situations of divided responsibility. That’s because in the absence of singular “buck-stops-here” accountability, you get role confusion, the emergence of back channels between staff members, and ultimately a lack of clarity around who is doing what and by when.
Because when everyone is partially responsible, no one is truly accountable. Crucial decisions can often fall through the cracks or key decisions become the average of the leader’s input - the dreaded “groupthink”.
The Pitfalls of Distributed Responsibility
I’ve worked with many organizations where responsibility is shared across teams, departments, or even the entire organization. And \at first glance, this seems like an efficient and egalitarian way to ensure that all bases are covered. However, what I have observed is that this model can often lead to a lack of ownership, where critical tasks are passed around like a hot potato, and nobody feels fully accountable for the outcome. This diffusion of responsibility also stifles innovation, slows decision-making, and ultimately pulls the organization off track.
This is especailly true when fundraising responsibilities are too distributed, because it becomes easy to blame shift when things go wrong. This creates a toxic work environment and prevents real learning and growth from taking place. And without clear accountability, mistakes are repeated, and opportunities for improvement are missed.
Why Accountability Matters
In contrast, roles where the buck stops with you force you to step up, take charge, and own the outcome—whether it’s a success or a failure. These roles are not for the faint-hearted, but they are where true leadership is forged. When you are the one responsible, you’re more likely to think critically, act decisively, and learn from every outcome. Accountability breeds a sense of purpose and drive. Knowing that your decisions carry weight and that your actions directly impact the organization pushes you to perform at your best. It also fosters a culture of trust and respect, as colleagues and leaders recognize your ability to take charge and deliver results. And if your work does not achieve the desired outcomes, you must either learn, adapt, or accept the consequences and likely move on.
Yeah, failure is hard. Really hard. I’ve learned it myself first hand. But failure is also the best learning experience you can have as a professional. It hurts so much that you never - ever - want to experience it again. So you work on your skills gaps. You read books. You find mentors. You ask for feedback. But most of all, you start looking for opportunities to prove yourself worthy of responsibility.
How to Seek Out Accountability
So, how do you find roles where the buck stops with you? Here are a few strategies:
1. Look for Ownership Opportunities: Seek out roles where you are given ownership of a project, process, or outcome. These positions often come with the responsibility to make critical decisions and see tasks through to completion.
2. Embrace Challenges: Don’t shy away from roles that push you out of your comfort zone. The more challenging the role, the greater the opportunity to demonstrate accountability and leadership.
3. Be Proactive: In any role, you can create accountability by being proactive. Take the initiative to volunteer for tasks, set clear goals, and make it known that you are committed to delivering results.
4. Communicate Clearly: Ensure that expectations are clear from the start. When everyone understands who is responsible for what, it’s easier to hold yourself—and others—accountable.
In a world where distributed responsibility is becoming the norm, roles that offer clear accountability are more important than ever. By seeking out these roles, you position yourself as a leader who is not afraid to take charge and make tough decisions. Ultimately, the willingness to have the buck stop with you is what sets successful professionals apart in any industry.
What do you think?