Work accountability breaks when you keep saying “not my fault,” because blame protects your ego but still costs the deadline, the client, and your reputation. In this article, Jef Menguin shows the mindset that upgrades you fast: It’s not my fault, but I’ll fix it—so you stop defending and start delivering. Practice it, then share it with your team so problems stop bouncing around and results start landing.
Have you ever been right… and still lost?
I’m talking about that moment at work when you say, “Not my fault,” and the evidence is on your side. You have the email trail, the follow-ups, and the screenshots. You did your part.
And yet the mess still lands on your lap.
When “explaining” became Adrian’s move
Adrian Villanueva was an account executive in a small agency. One Tuesday afternoon, his client called with that tight tone that makes your stomach drop.
“Adrian, we go live tomorrow. Where are the files?”
Adrian opened his tracker and started explaining politely. He pointed to Creative’s delay, the approval loop, the reminders he sent since Monday. He kept his voice steady because he didn’t want to sound emotional.
The client cut him off. “I don’t need the story. I need the launch.”
Adrian felt the heat rise in his chest. He wanted to keep the relationship calm, so he chose what felt like the safest move: he defended his side.
“Ma’am, I understand. But it’s not my fault. We’re waiting on Creative.”
There was a pause. Then the client replied, “Okay. Then we’ll work with people who don’t wait.” The next week, the account was gone.
His next move protected him, not the launch.
When Rina protected the launch
Rina Lopez handled a similar account in a different team. Same kind of deadline pressure. Same kind of blockage—Creative was behind, and approvals moved slowly.
Her client called and asked the same question. “Rina, we go live tomorrow. Where are the files?”
Rina felt the urge to explain. She swallowed it.
“You’re right to ask,” she said. “Give me ten minutes. I’ll call you back with two options.”
She walked to Creative and kept it clean. “I need a yes-or-no. If the full set won’t make it, what’s the smallest set we can launch with tomorrow?” A designer sighed, rubbed his eyes, and said, “Rina, we can’t do everything.”
Rina nodded. “Good. Then don’t. Give me the minimum that protects the launch.”
Ten minutes later, she called the client back. “Full set won’t make it. Option A: we launch the core assets tomorrow, then release the rest Friday. Option B: we move the launch by one day to protect quality. I recommend Option A because the promo is already announced.”
The client exhaled. “Okay. Option A. Thank you.”
Where does this show up in your world?
Before we talk about accountability, slow down and check your own life.
When was the last time you said “not my fault”—out loud or in your head? What was happening that day, and what were you protecting?
And if you lead people, zoom out.
Who on your team keeps saying some version of it? Who keeps handing problems back to the room, then watching the room suffer?
What excuse do you keep hearing—and what move do you want instead?
One more question, the one that stings.
When “not my fault” shows up, does the work still move… or does the result die right there?
Why I stopped defending myself
I’ve said it too.
I’ve used “not my fault” when I felt cornered, tired, and quietly resentful. I wanted to be understood. I wanted someone to see that I wasn’t the one who caused the mess.
But I noticed what happened next.
The moment I defended myself, the result moved farther away. The problem stayed. The tension grew. And even if I was right, I didn’t feel proud. I felt smaller.
So I started practicing a better response.
When the deadline is still yours
You did your part. You followed up. Someone else is holding the work hostage. The deadline is still yours. People still look at you like you own the result.
That’s when most professionals reach for the safest move.
They explain. They defend. They prove they did their part.
I encourage you to say this to yourself:
It’s not my fault, but I’ll fix it.
Not “fix” as in “I will carry everyone.”
Fix as in “I will do what I can to make the desired result happen.”
Fix means you protect the outcome, not your ego.
That’s the missing detail most people skip. They think the next move is to build a case—like Adrian. That move protects your ego, but it doesn’t protect the outcome.
Rina’s move was different. She moved the work toward the result.
The Fix-It Move Map
If this keeps happening in your world, you need a repeatable way to respond.
Not a quote. Not a motivational line. A small map you can follow when pressure hits.
Use this when a handoff stalls, a decision hangs, or a deadline is about to slip.
Here’s a preview of the tool I’ll give you as a download. I call it The Fix-It Move Map.
First, name the Result. What must be true, by when?
Next, list Options. What are two paths forward from here?
Then get a Decision. Who must say yes or no, and what do they need to decide?
That’s it. Result. Options. Decision.
It works in a message, a meeting, or a crisis call. You can use it yourself, or hand it to the person on your team who needs it most.
One move today that changes your reputation
Pick one active situation this week—the one you keep explaining, the one that keeps making you sigh.
Write one line, then act within 24 hours:
It’s not my fault, but I’ll fix it by _____.
Make it real. Ask for the decision. Offer two options. Walk to the person. Close the loop.
Because the shift isn’t “my workplace became fair.”
Stop defending. Start delivering.
If your team is stuck in meetings, misalignment, or slow decisions…
Let’s design one shift they can use immediately.
→ Shift Experiences
