October 17
An Outcome Nobody Wanted
A decision seemed reasonable when it was made. The available information supported it, the right people were consulted, and the responsibility was ours. Then something unexpected happened. Looking backward, everyone can see what should have been done. We may join them in treating the disappointing result as proof that our judgment was worthless from the start.
Accountability deserves a more careful look. What did we know then, and what became clear only afterward? There may be a mistake to acknowledge, or a limit nobody could reasonably have removed. Neither possibility excuses us from helping with what comes next. But learning requires an honest account of the original circumstances. If every unfortunate outcome becomes a verdict on the person who acted, people learn to avoid decisions. Trust needs enough patience for judgment to develop in a world that does not provide advance answers.
How am I judging a past decision with knowledge that arrived later?
The result matters, and so do the circumstances.
For the A.A. nerds: Twelve Concepts for World Service, Concept III.