Blame

Your manager is agitated and wants to know who is accountable for a major customer’s order being late again. You sense her anxiety arises from having to report the problem to her boss, and when she says accountability, she really means looking for someone to blame.

However, blaming is shaming and shouldn’t be confused with accountability.

Blame looks for a scapegoat, using conjured outrage to inhibit a closer examination of the underlying issues. The rush to blame is intended to keep emotions inflamed, impeding a thorough examination coupled with critical thinking that could uncover complexity and nuance that leads to recognition of how broadly accountability is shared. The person indignantly calling for accountability is trying to draw attention away from themselves.

Everyone in your department knows that the conflicting goals of keeping inventory low while delivery times stay high disrupts efficiency, making people feel like they can’t win.

Each department manager is focused on “making their numbers.” With the recent layoffs in the management ranks, no supervisor wants to be seen as falling short. Team members model their boss’s behavior by deflecting attention to people rather than highlighting the issues causing the pain.

If you are caught up in blaming, stop! Call a truce. Slow down and ask some questions. Is it clear what each person is expected to contribute? Does everyone have the time, resources, training and tools needed to do their part? Does the culture encourage honesty and candor in reporting problems so they can be addressed? Do participants try to understand before drawing conclusions?

If everyone is invested in the organization’s success, stop blaming people and address the issues. Save the punishment for the rare person who is intentionally trying to mess things up.