Are team leaders to be blamed for the mistakes committed by the team

Who gets credit when your favorite sports team wins? Most probably the best player of the match! But who takes the blame when that team loses? In most cases, it has to be the captain of the team. The captain is considered as an anchor for any team and people believe that he/she should take the fall for the failure of the entire team.

Something very similar goes about in corporate workplaces as well. In every workplace, employees are divided into teams according to their jobs and a person of authority is appointed as the leader of that team. 

But the question is, should a team leader take the onus of the failure for the entire team?

A team leader is someone who manages the entire team single-handedly and is responsible for the smooth functioning of the team. Team leaders are committed to keeping the people together and getting them to work as a team. They know they are in a position of authority and are responsible for their actions. So, naturally, when a team commits a mistake, the responsibility for that mistake is taken by the team leader. Most of the time, leaders are aware of their position and own up to the mistake beforehand. Yes, it is true that team leaders represent the team, but is it always correct to blame them for the mistakes of the team? Certainly not! While some leaders willingly take responsibility for the mistakes, some feel that it is incorrect to blame one person on behalf of the entire team. 

For instance, if an employee fails to meet the deadline of a certain project, the entire work is delayed because of him. So, now, why should a team leader take responsibility for that mistake? Many people believe that team leaders are wrongly blamed for petty mistakes. If a team leader readily wants to take the blame for the mistake, then it is completely his choice. But always putting team leaders at the forefront is not right. 

In my opinion, team leaders are appointed for the smooth functioning of any team and bringing a format to any company. Blaming them for failures or mistakes is not right. So, what’s your opinion?