It was an accident. That's all.
accident noun : an unintended and usually sudden and unexpected event resulting in loss or injury Merriam-Webster Dictionary
As a young officer, stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, we would convoy our HMMWV military vehicles from our base on the Pudget Sound to the high northern desert of Yakima to conduct training. The trip is over 160 miles by road, one way. Yakima terrain and weather are harsh - the perfect conditions to train for war. On a return trip following a training exercise, one of our military vehicles went off the road, rolled a few times and crashed. Fortunately all of the occupants were ok. They had their seat belts fastened which saved the day.
My company commander, Mike, was in the convoy. He would guide the police to the scene and call our senior commander back at Fort Lewis to report the incident. Watching him operate, I saw that he was a bit perturbed. Our commander back at Fort Lewis was drilling him with questions as if we had done wrong. Mike, being a common sense and transparent leader, shared his frustration. "It was an accident. That is why we have the word accident in the dictionary," he said with frustration in his voice.
I never forgot that. Indeed an investigation would follow as was customary in the Army to determine causes and learn but the initial speculation from our boss was not helpful. Mike shielded his soldiers from this and dealt with the situation with calm leadership.
Sometimes our egos guide us to the belief that someone did wrong intentionally - that there were malice and forethought behind the incident. Often, however, it is just an accident and we all have them. I could fill a year of blogs with my accidents. When accidents happen, do like Mike did. Lead calmly and be forgiving. Don't rush to pinning blame. Subordinates - good ones anyway, will feel remorse and responsibility following an accident. Thank them for their ownership but remind them, as I have done, that "...it's why we have the word accident in the dictionary."
it is proper for organizations to investigate accidents. The best organizations do this, not focused on pinning blame but on learning and growing. Leaders must remind their people that we are only human and that they are not 'in trouble' following an accident.
If malice was involved, take proper action as a leader. Contact me for help. If it was purely an accident, call it that, care for those involved, and move on.
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell