You keep talking about “taking responsibility”. Unless the person taking responsibility is also taking action, which you aren’t even proposing, then it’s just words. It’s more sugar coating. “It’s not you, it’s me.”

> This is a 'put out the fire' type reactionary stuff.

After the fire fighting comes the postmortem where the systemic issues should be discussed. A fire is a great way to spur both short and long term action.

> By 'underling' I mean anyone under him.

I don’t know how you reconcile “accountability” with the idea that the a leader cannot expect members of the team to deliver. Is Gates the only person who has any accountability expected here?