Playing The Blame-Game At Work

Nobody likes a finger being pointed at them and being blamed for something. However, people often tend to blame others in the workplace and more so, when faced with a tough situation (such as recessionary pressures or the fear of losing one's job).

Blaming other people at work, especially publically, can have more harmful effects than you think. According to a recent study (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Stanford University and USC Marshall), publicly blaming others dramatically increases the likelihood that the practice will become viral. This is because when we see others protecting their egos,'we become defensive too'and we then try to protect our own self-image by blaming others for our mistakes, which may feel good in the moment. However, in the long run,'such behavior could hurt one's reputation and be destructive'to an organisation as a whole.'When public blaming becomes common practice - especially by leaders - its effects on an organization can be insidious and withering: Individuals who are fearful of being blamed for something become less willing to take risks on the job, are less innovative or creative and are less likely to learn from their mistakes.

Here are a few suggestions for handling the blame-game better:

• Assign blame when necessary but do so in private


• Offer praise in public to create a positive attitude in the workplace


• Lead by example - as a manager make it a point to publically acknowledge your mistakes and show how you learned from them

In addition to individuals taking steps to avoid the negative effects of blaming at work, organisations can also do their bit to help. Companies should be careful to create a culture which does not reward people who engage in such activities. It will lead to a better workplace and also show a positive impact on the bottom line.

Amit has over 10 years of career advisory, organisational psychology, business management and finance experience/education. He is the Managing Consultant at Sandbox Advisors, a career, job search and HR consulting firm.

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