Avoid Blame

From a psychological perspective, blame is the discharge of pain, discomfort, or anger. It makes the blamer feel better. It may make the blamer feel bigger to themselves and to the people around them. However, it has a terrible effect on retrospectives (and life and work in general).

Once blaming starts, problem-solving ends. People are less likely to risk speaking up and less likely to share ideas that aren’t fully formed. When blame is pervasive, people keep their heads down and focus on avoiding being the one who gets blamed. Blame starts a downward spiral of defensiveness and counter-blame. By that point, trust has disappeared.

The High Cost of Blame and What to Do About It

For a quick introduction to the cost of blame, ...

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