If at first you don’t succeed…. Fix the blame!
By
Charlie Dexter
10/10/2004

On November 22, 1968 Japan Airlines flight 2, carrying 96 passengers, 6 infants, and 11 crew members, was on a routine approach into San Francisco International Airport.  Unfortunately, after what appeared to be a perfect landing, the aircraft came to rest 6 miles short of the runway out in the bay…  No one was hurt, there was little damage to the plane, and the landing was so smooth they didn’t know they were in the water until a passing wave put the jet engines out.

Soon thereafter, Dan Rather, Henny Penny, and Duckie Luckie, along with other media correspondents were buying up San Francisco hotel rooms in anticipation of prolonged hearings to determine what happened and more importantly, who was to blame for the unintentional water landing in San Francisco Bay.  When the NTSB hearing began the first witness was the pilot in command, Captain Kohei Asoh, a pilot with over 10,000 flying hours.  The hearing officer asked Captain Asoh how a pilot with his experience could have landed a DC-8 in perfect working order, on a perfect compass heading to the runway, 6 miles short of the runway out in the water?  In a testimony of extraordinary clarity and brevity, Captain Asoh said, “…as you American’s say, Asoh $#@&-up”.  For all intents and purposes the hearing was over.  Nothing more of significance could be added, and all that was critical to the investigation was now on the table.

What’s interesting is that in light of known consequences including probable career suicide, employment termination, and legal prosecution, Asoh told the truth.  The Captain took responsibility for his own actions without absolving or accusing the controllers, flight crew, or mechanics of their responsibilities.  As Professor Jerry Harvey quotes this story in his book The Abilene Paradox, “if nothing else, we can enjoy the novelty.”  The Captain employed a defense that has no rebuttal, and which now bears his name -- the Asoh Defense.  It is in fact really the best defense during those frequent occurrences of human error in our personal and professional lives.

Think how different might be the legacies of Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Martha Stewart had they invoked the Asoh Defense and told the truth when confronted by their mistakes.  Instead they lied and got convicted more for the cover-ups rather than for the original crimes!  Think about your organization… is there a corporate culture that encourages truth telling, ownership of responsibility, and humor? Is there a mechanism for the granting of the gift of grace when team members goof-up, or is all crime and punishment?  The alternative to the Asoh Defense is the great game of “Scape Goat” where if at first you don’t succeed – fix the blame as everyone runs and hides while trying to find someone to be it.  Naw… I think we Fairbanksans would agree that the Asoh Defense is probably a better choice.  Use it next time you $#@&-up and let me know what happens.