"A leader falls on his sword for his team if and when needed."
I like this. It also reminded me of a lesson I learned when reading Maj. Richard Winters' memoirs: a good leader leads from the front. First one in, last one out.
I like this. It also reminded me of a lesson I learned when reading Maj. Richard Winters' memoirs: a good leader leads from the front. First one in, last one out.
Similarly, Generals don't (usually) lead troops. They lead company commanders.
And so on.
If you receive an apology from someone several levels above where the mistake was made, I don't think it means much. You end up with no reassurance that anything is being done to stop it happening again.
The bank could have abandoned Microsoft products. They could have sued Microsoft. Blaming one's underlings is a sign of weakness. Blaming the customer would be a disaster.
Apologizing and taking responsibility is a sign of good character, not a sign of weakness.
Case in point: antennagate and Jobs' attempt to blame the users for holding the phone wrong.
A lot of people disagree with you, and see it as a sign of weakness. Often those people have a lot of influence over your career.