How to avoid taking the blame at work?

About this Video

• Video Title: How to avoid taking the blame at work?
• Channel: Rich Gilbert
• Speakers: Rich Gilbert
• Duration: 00:10:18

Introduction

This video discusses why taking the blame at work, even when well-intentioned, might not be the best career strategy. Rich Gilbert argues that while personal responsibility is important, employees, particularly low-level individual contributors, often take on blame for things outside their complete control. He offers advice on how to navigate these situations.

Key Takeaways

• Taking blame, while seeming noble, can hinder career advancement. Many employees feel obligated to apologize and take responsibility for things they are not fully responsible for. This behavior is more common among lower-level employees.
• Rarely is one person 100% responsible for project success or failure. Numerous factors contribute to a project's outcome, including colleagues, management, tools, and software. Accepting full blame overlooks these external factors.
• Focusing on future solutions is more productive than dwelling on past blame. The past cannot be changed. Instead of assigning blame, it's more effective to learn from mistakes and focus on future improvements.
• Volunteering blame can be self-incriminating. Announcing fault puts a target on one's back, even if other factors contributed to the issue. It's strategically better to avoid explicitly taking blame.
• In toxic work environments, focusing on future solutions is key. If your workplace focuses on assigning blame, concentrate on addressing the problem and planning future improvements rather than getting caught up in fault-finding.