It's always leadership's fault.
It’s never technology, systems, or people. It’s always leadership.
Every business failure you’ve ever seen...
Put it squarely on the shoulders of leadership. Not the systems, not the employees, not the tools or software.
It’s leadership every single time.
I can already hear the excuses:
“But the market changed!”
“Our people just didn’t deliver!”
“We didn’t have the right tech!”
Stop. Just stop.
These excuses are how bad leaders sleep at night.
If your business is sinking, you’re the one holding the bucket.
✅ Leaders set the tone.
✅ Leaders pick the systems.
✅ Leaders build the teams.
✅ Leaders create the strategy.
Let’s break it down.
1) People don’t fail—leadership fails.
Every leader loves to blame their team when things go south. “We just don’t have the right talent,” they say while sipping their morning latte.
Here’s a little wake-up call: It’s not about talent. It’s about you.
Leadership failure, not people failure.
2) Technology isn’t the problem. You are.
I’m sick of hearing companies complain about outdated systems, a messy tech stack, or tools that are not good enough to compete. Guess who’s responsible for choosing and implementing those systems?
Leaders.
Bad leaders complain about tech.
3) Systems can't fix broken leadership.
Systems are only as good as the leaders driving them. You can have the best CRM, the slickest automation, and the most robust processes, but those systems will choke if the leadership behind it is sloppy or indecisive.
Systems don’t solve poor leadership.
4) The culture you hate is the culture you created.
“I just can’t get my people motivated!”
Really? That’s funny because I’ve never seen a motivated team with a disengaged leader. Culture flows from the top down.
If your workplace is toxic, unproductive, or disengaged, you built it that way.
Take a look in the mirror before you point fingers at your employees.
Stop hiding behind excuses.
Every failure is a leadership failure. Own it.
The Rub
👉 Take brutal accountability – No one to blame but yourself. Zero excuses.
👉 Empower their people – Give them the tools, trust, and autonomy they need.
👉 Adapt constantly – Market changes? Tech evolution? You move with it or get left behind.
👉 Create culture with intent – If your people hate working for you, fix the environment.
The next time your business hits a wall, don’t blame the economy, don’t blame your staff, and don’t blame the tech.
Blame yourself.
Then do something about it. 💪
Because real leadership isn’t about celebrating the wins; it’s about owning the losses.
If you’re unwilling to take 100% responsibility, maybe you shouldn’t be leading.
The best part of taking ownership of losses is you are in complete control of the solution.
This is the way.
- Hanley
P.S. If you enjoy these essays, you’ll love my podcast, The Ryan Hanley Show.