The other day, I couldn’t find the remote. I asked my wife if she’d seen it and she replied, “Joe has it.” Joe, our eight year old cat? Joe has the remote? OK, at least it wasn’t my problem — I didn’t misplace it. Joe had it. I wasn’t passing the buck.
Has Your Cat Hidden the Remote?
Seems pretty silly, doesn’t it? But you don’t know Joe the cat. Let’s face it — we all occasionally blame the cat, don’t we? Whether at home or the office, we look for someone else to attach blame. You may be thinking, “not me,” but it can be very subtle. Once during a planning meeting, an idea I’d previously presented was brought up. The project would take cooperation from several departments. I had attempted the project, but lost control as it became bogged down between departments. I immediately started pointing fingers. I asked why others didn’t follow through. I stopped when I realized this would accomplish little. The question I should’ve asked was how could I have made it work?
If You Can’t Blame the Cat, Who Can You Blame?
It’s easy to get caught up in the blame game because it often doesn’t look that way. If it’s justified, it’s not blame, is it? Maybe, but it seldom helps the cause. If you want improvement, a surefire place to start is with what you control. Don’t settle for blaming the cat. Analyze your involvement, look for what you can improve, and find a way to make it work. Passing the buck seldom helps.
Are You Passing the Buck?
Do you ever get caught up in the blame game? If so, how do you overcome this tendency?
Please excuse me now, I’m teaching Joe the finer points of remote usage. He hasn’t got the mute button down, but he knows how to find Animal Planet.
How Can I Help You?
I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me.
So, does your business have a management training plan? Because, if not, many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out.
Photo by Piotr Cichosz on Unsplash
