The Buck Stops With You

"You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world. You impoverish yourself if you forget this errand."

Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States

Harry Truman epitomized responsibility in a chief executive. His now famous words, “the buck stops here,” became part of the national lexicon and changed the way Americans viewed their leaders. “The Buck Stops Here” became an instant euphemism for responsible leadership.

President Truman’s sense of accountability and his acceptance of responsibility for the actions of his administration fundamentally changed the way all chief executives were to be viewed from that point forward. It was a classic lesson in the principle that responsibility begins at the top.

In today’s business environment, leadership must come from the top. CEOs and key executives should establish the tone for the rest of the company. That’s why they’re paid the big bucks. If your name is at the top of the organization chart, like or not, you are responsible for just about everything that happens below.

CEOs, directors, and senior executives are expected to provide leadership in every facet of corporate affairs, recognizing that their employees, shareholders, investors, and customers will be judging their actions.

(c) Adonis E. Hoffman, 2007.