How to win the blame game

People are often more concerned about avoiding blame than achieving results. But blame can actually be a positive force in the workplace. The trick is knowing how to use it.

When a new product flops in the marketplace or a new recruit turns out to be a poor worker, blaming somebody for the mistake seems a bit rude. So people talk politely around the blunder, saying things like ‘sales targets were missed’ or ‘mistakes occurred’ as if the error happened all by itself. Indeed, at many companies, blame is never even mentioned. At other organisations, people are all too quick to point fingers, leaving employees more concerned about avoiding blame than about achieving results. Such organisations have given blame a bad name.

The truth is, blame can also be a powerful constructive force. For starters, it can be an effective teaching tool, helping people to avoid repeating their mistakes. When used judiciously and sparingly, blame can also prod people to put forth their best efforts, while maintaining both their confidence and their focus on goals. Indeed, blame can have a very helpful effect when it’s used for the right reasons. The key, then, is the way in which blame is managed, which can influence how people make decisions and perform their jobs, and ultimately affect the culture and character of an organisation.