Characteristics:
- Little trust
- Act in self interest
- Do not take many risks
- Do not usually speak their mind
- Do not come up with many new ideas
- Paycheck driven
- Inefficient
- Stagnating growth
- Avoid responsibility
- High level of fear
Primary values of a Blame Culture are:
Avoid conflict
Self preservation
Considerations in Evolving a Blame Culture:
- Look at the leader. Are employees reprimanded every time they make a mistake?
- Consider re-assessing the reactions to mistakes as “learning events”
- Even if there is a cost associated to the mistake, that would be a training investment and would usually be far less expensive than an ineffective and stagnant Blame Culture
- If change is to occur, a guided transition must include working with two high visibility low level employees to take risk (or “Appear” to take risk) with new ideas, and be rewarded for it.
- Reward one on success and the other on failure
- Emphasize the reward is for trying something new. (you may need to assist them in coming up with that something new, but make sure they get credit for it)
- Implement the successful idea IMMEDIATELY
- Assist the failed idea to turn it into a useful one (publicly and respectfully) and then implement that immediately
- Observe changes and continue with the strategy of encouraging risk and free thought.