Blame is one of the most useless, albeit pervasive, reactions that surround problem solving. For many people, the initial reaction when something goes wrong is: “Who did this?” The less-than-subtle implication underlying this question is: “I want to know who screwed up.” Some may even defend their witch hunt by suggesting that identifying a culprit will allow them to determine responsibility so they can better address the situation. The end result is the same—they focus on who went wrong rather than what went wrong.

With the exception of a miniscule few, most folks don’t show up at work determined to make a bad product or to cause the organization to experience financial loss. There just isn’t that much malice in the world. People want to do the right thing. So, if something has gone wrong, looking for someone to blame is a waste of precious time and counter-productive to the ultimate mission of the organization.

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