Own It or Eat It

Accountability isn’t cruel. It’s the only shot you’ve got at being taken seriously in the real world.

Let’s stop tiptoeing around it: accountability is the whole damn job. In life. In business. And absolutely in business schools, where we’re supposed to be shaping people who can handle pressure, make decisions, and deliver—on time.

But somewhere along the way, we started lowering the bar. Deadlines become “suggestions.” Deliverables arrive late with apologies and enthusiasm, and somehow, we’re expected to applaud the effort. We tell ourselves we’re being flexible, supportive, human.

But too often, we let students renegotiate reality. Deadlines slide. Deliverables show up late. Feedback goes unread. And when consequences finally land, it’s: “But we really cared about the project.” Great. So do thousands of startups that fail every year, because care isn’t currency. Delivery is.

But in the real world? Missed deadlines mean missed funding. Lost trust. Burned clients. There’s no bonus round for good intentions. You either shipped it, or you didn’t.

This isn’t just a student issue, it’s a faculty one. Too many of us quietly reward excuses, inflate grades, or bend the rules to avoid uncomfortable conversations. That’s not support. It’s sabotage. We’re not helping students succeed; we’re helping them avoid learning how.

Accountability means consequences. It also means modeling ownership. When I mess up, a wrong link, a botched deadline, I own it. I fix it. That’s leadership.

We can’t keep asking students to take themselves seriously if we’re not doing the same. They don’t need saviors. They need standards. And the courage to stand by them.

Because out there, no one’s grading their intentions. Just their results.