Have you experienced (or witnessed) a highly visible mistake that led to the dismissal of a Project Manager, and how do you feel about accountability in such cases?

In many roles, accountability is closely tied to visibility.

Politicians who perform poorly are often asked to resign, and CEOs or highly paid employees may be dismissed for personal misconduct or for violating internal policies. In these situations, a mistake with high visibility can turn the responsible person into an easy scapegoat, regardless of broader systemic issues.

I’m curious whether fellow Project Managers have encountered similar “colossal” mistakes (either personally or as observers) and how they view the balance between fair accountability and the consequences of being highly visible in leadership roles.