Imagine this scenario: you're crossing the street at a green light, following all the rules. Suddenly, a driver runs a red light and hits you. The immediate question arises:
Whose fault is it?
other person’s fault
others person’s fault, but i should have looked
fifty-fifty, both are at fault
primary my fault, but the other persons should have looked
my fault
Choose your answer above before scrolling down
For many, the instinctive answer might be, 'It’s the driver’s fault.' After all, they broke the rule. Some might add, 'It’s their fault, but I could have looked.' Others may lean toward shared responsibility, suggesting, 'It’s fifty-fifty; both could have been more careful.'
At CTM360, we approach this situation differently. Our philosophy of Extreme Ownership challenges us to take full accountability, even when the blame seems to lie elsewhere. From our perspective, the answer is: 'It’s my fault.'
Why? Because ownership isn’t just about pointing fingers or assigning blame; it’s about taking control of the outcome and asking, 'What could I have done to prevent this situation, regardless of the other party’s actions?' In this case, perhaps by looking both ways—even when the light was green—the accident could have been avoided.
This mindset is at the core of how we operate at CTM360. We don’t wait for external factors to align perfectly or for others to take responsibility. Instead, we embrace complete ownership of challenges, outcomes, and solutions. Whether it’s responding to a cybersecurity threat or improving our processes, we believe responsibility starts with us.