Three ways to avoid the blame game

It’s a scene that is played out around office buildings worldwide. An error is made and the office erupts in a heated discussion about whose fault it was, and a disproportionate amount of time is spent blaming and complaining. It is good to know how the error occurred, but the emphasis should be placed on moving forward.{{more}}

Companies that have perfected the blame game have evolved into toxic environments where trust, cooperation and teamwork are just words without true meaning. In order to work though intense times of problem solving and guard against falling into the blame game trap, the following strategies should be considered:

Create a culture of accepting responsibility. Although easier said than done, it is always best to allow employees to be able to admit their mistakes in a non-threatening environment. Don’t embarrass them publicly or remind them of past mistakes. Help them get to a solution to correct the mistake and move on.

Avoid criticism. Resist the temptation to engage in unproductive discussions that focus on finding fault only and dwell on the negative aspects of the problem. As humans, we can get so stuck in discussing the problem and the people.

Think solutions. Time should be spent assessing the cause of the problem. What contributed to it? Could the situation have been avoided? How can it be prevented from happening again? The analysis will help identify the best ways to resolve the concerns and reduce the chances of committing the same error. It may take a few tries to correct a matter so get into the habit of reviewing multiple solutions.

Karen Hinds is “The Workplace Success Expert.” For a FREE SPECIAL REPORT on Avoiding Career Killers in the Workplace, send an email to info@workplacesuccess.com
Visit online at www.workplacesuccess.com