When you were made responsible for something you did not do

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card 569 with Model Answer:

Describe a time when you were made responsible for something you did not do.

You should say:

• when it was
• why you think you were made responsible for that
• what was your initial reaction

and explain how you feel about it now.

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

---

Model Answer:
The incident I'd like to describe here actually took place a few years ago, perhaps five years ago, when I was working as a project manager for a software development company. It was a fairly large-scale project, and the team was under tremendous pressure to meet deadlines.

One day, a critical bug was discovered in the software we were developing, and it had the potential to delay the project significantly. The bug was traced back to a specific module of the software, and it was supposed to be handled by another team in the company, not my team. However, the senior management misunderstood the situation and mistakenly held my team and me accountable for it.

I believe the reason I was made responsible for this issue was mainly a result of the management's confusion and the urgency of the situation. There was also some miscommunication in the department regarding which team was handling which aspect of the project. Unfortunately, my team became the target of this mix-up.

My initial reaction was a mixture of shock, frustration, and a bit of disbelief. I couldn't understand why me and my team were being held accountable for something we had no involvement with. I immediately arranged a meeting with the senior management to clarify the situation. It was crucial to provide them with evidence and facts to demonstrate that our team was not responsible for the bug and that it fell under the scope of another team's work.

Looking back, I feel a sense of accomplishment in how me and my team handled the situation. We remained composed, professional, and focused on the facts. The incident also reinforced the importance of maintaining clarity in our roles and responsibilities to prevent such misunderstandings. It served as a learning experience that improved my ability to deal with similar challenges in my professional life, emphasizing the importance of open communication, teamwork, and staying calm under pressure.