Blame at Work Can Actually Hurt Your Chances of Success
Blame at home, at school, at the grocery store, on the street and at work. The new book The Blame Game discusses all sorts of blaming locations and types of blames, including at work. When people blame at work, the interactions and reasons for blaming may be slightly different than other types of blaming, although the basic psychological reasons for blaming remain the same. In general, whether we blame at home or work, the purpose is to shift responsibility away from ourselves, hurt or damage others, or both. When we blame at work, we are often attempting to both improve our standing while limiting the position of others. Who at your work is to blame? As the owner: the management, directors, employees and perhaps even the customers. As the management: the owner, the employees, the suppliers, the competition, and the customers. As the employee: the owner, manager, directors, coworkers and customers. Notice the lack of self blame? We each have so many great reasons to blame at work. Not getting promoted, not making sales, not increasing productivity, the list goes on.
Blame at work is toxic and often mindless. It is not only non-productive, but unless you are trying to improve safety mechanisms or trying to reduce the recurrence of errors you hurt your own chances for success. This is because wherever you blame the process of blaming is one of giving up control of your decisions, actions and reactions. Productivity and success at work is about innovation, initiative and taking responsibility. These positive changes can’t occur when you blame.
Having a problem with blame at work? Reading The Blame Game can help.
