It Wasn’t the CEO’s Fault—But It Was Their Responsibility

It Wasn’t the CEO’s Fault—But It Was Their Responsibility

What the Optus Outage Teaches Us About Real Accountability

Hi there,

I thought we could unpack a recent high-profile moment that’s made headlines and look at it through the lens of leadership. There’s always something to learn when the spotlight hits, and this one’s got some powerful takeaways for all of us.

Let’s be honest…when things go wrong at work, most of us hope the problem gets fixed quietly, without drama. But sometimes, the issue is too big, too public, or too painful to sweep under the rug.

That’s exactly what happened with the recent Optus telco outage, which not only knocked out communication services across the country, but also disrupted access to emergency services (000) for thousands of Australians. And while the technical details are still emerging, one truth has already become painfully clear:

The CEO was left standing in front of the media, answering for a breakdown that, in all likelihood, had nothing to do with his personal decisions, but everything to do with his role.

This isn’t about Optus alone. It’s about what this moment teaches all of us in leadership.

Leadership Can Involve More Than Just Vision

We love the idea of the pioneering leader, blazing trails, casting vision, motivating people, pushing innovation. And yes, of course that matters.

But, leadership isn’t always purely about direction. It can also be about ensuring that the processes and systems behind the scenes are in place and actually working. You might not be the one answering 000 calls, managing the tech stack, or fixing the bugs—but if something breaks, its probably you will be the one held accountable for it.

The Escalation Gap: The Further You Are, the Less You Know

There’s a management principle called the “iceberg of ignorance.” (Yoshida, 1989) that says the higher up you go, the less connected you naturally are to what's happening at the front lines.

It’s no surprise that a CEO isn’t personally managing the emergency call escalation system. But when those systems fail, the leader becomes the face of that failure.

And if you don’t know what’s happening on the ground—or don’t have structures to monitor and assure it—you’re in trouble the minute something goes wrong.

You Can Delegate Responsibility—But Not Accountability

Leadership is about building capable people and clear structures. You’re supposed to delegate. You’re meant to empower others to lead their areas.

But a key principle to remember is this. You can delegate responsibility—but you can’t delegate accountability.

In moments like this, it’s the CEO, the team leader, department head, or project manager, who’s held to account. Because leadership means you own the outcome, even if you didn’t execute the task.

Trust Is Not Blind. It’s Also Verified

“Delegate and trust your team” is great advice.

But real trust is also built on and supported by visibility and evidence.

Do you have assurance that critical systems are functioning?
Do you regularly receive evidence, not just updates, that key responsibilities are covered?
Is there a way to surface hidden risks before they turn into headlines?

If your answer is “I think so,” then you might be building on assumptions, not assurance.

Everyone Owns Their Role—But Leaders Own the Whole

One of the biggest takeaways from the Optus incident is this:

Even if a single team, or even team member drops the ball, the whole brand suffers.

That’s why every person’s work matters, and every leader’s job is to ensure the ecosystem is healthy.

Leaders must create clarity, build communication across levels, and ensure that everyone from frontline to executive is not only empowered, but accountable to the bigger picture.

Could You Stand at the Microphone?

It’s a tough question. But a necessary one.

If something broke in your team, your community group, or your organisation today…
Would you be confident standing in front of a room (or a media pack) and answering for it?

Would you have:

A clear understanding of the processes and systems?
Evidence that responsibilities were being carried out?
Assurance that escalation processes, checks and balances were tested and functioning?

If not, this is your leadership prompt. Not to micromanage, but to lead the process. To create rhythms of accountability. To ensure trust is built on evidence, not assumption.

Final Thought

Everything is okay… until it’s not.

That’s why systems of assurance matter. Because the questions you should have been asking will only be obvious after the fact.

The operations we lead are often complex, and creating real assurance isn’t easy. But our opportunity is to avoid waiting for crisis to expose the gaps and instead lead with proactivity, intention, and accountability today.

This is Servant Leadership in Action

In our course, Mastering Team Leadership: Ignite Success as a Servant Leader, we teach that servant leadership doesn’t mean doing everything yourself.

It means:

Empowering others with clear responsibility
Building communication systems and cultures that highlight and resolve issues early
Creating accountability and ownership—at all roles and all levels

If you’re ready to lead this way, this course is your next step.
👉 [Explore the course here]

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