Blame the System First

Blame the system first.

This is my culture ethos.

In business, stuff goes wrong. We all know this. And as a company scales, there's more stuff to go wrong. So it will.

And when that inevitable something goes wrong, how do you respond?

Blaming the system first means that instead of immediately placing blame on a person, always look to find blame in the system first.

Was there a breakdown in our process? Our policies? Our tools? Our support structures?

If there's a deficiency somewhere in our systems that can explain why things happened the way they did, let's fix them.

And if we can't find fault in the system, only then can we place the blame and disciplinary action on an individual.

Here's why that's important.

When people fear being blamed...

👎 They do the minimum for fear of making a mistake.
👎 They hide mistakes for fear of being caught.
👎 They continue the cycle and look to blame others.

But when you blame the system first...

👍 They take smart risks and embrace creativity.
👍 They don't hide mistake and become part of the solution.
👍 They become more accountable.

That's the power of systems and why I love them so much. Great systems are a cornerstone of great cultures. And it's what I work on with my clients every day.

So if you feel like your team isn't firing on all cylinders, and you want them to feel more empowered with the tools and support systems to do their best work, then shoot me a reply or let's schedule a time to talk about it.

And ask yourself… Do your employees have everything they need to be successful? How do you respond when someone on your team makes a mistake? What are the cornerstones of your company culture?