Avoiding The Blame Game

Accountability is one of the key concerns of the top management of companies. The blame game is a worrisome aspect and a trait that which comes out when things go wrong. The most important thing that should be noted is how to avoid the blame game and to delegate work in such a way that accountability is taken care of.

Things that help to delegate work better:

1. Knowing your subordinates: As a manager, it is necessary to know you’re the strengths and weaknesses of your subordinates. This resolves the problem of knowing what their capabilities are. When given the right job according to their strengths, they will act responsibly and be efficient at the same time. This establishes the accountability of actions.
2. Setting up priority: In a dynamic work environment, things tend to go haywire at times. A list of priorities needs to be set right. This avoids confusion on the dynamic system of the workflow, and emphasizes what is important and which can wait a little longer in terms of getting things done.
3. Trust: Often, due to the gravity of the work, things must be checked multiple times. This would involve the micromanagement of tasks. It is a must to trust your subordinates and support them with the required resources and information at these times to build a system of good growth of work. This encourages them to take accountability of the tasks. But at the same time, it is necessary to verify the work done and give them valuable feedback which makes them better at the task.
4. Feedback: This is the most important of all to hold people accountable for the actions. Feedback should be constructive and relevant, with suggestions and ways to improve. It should also include opportunities for defense and discussion.

The blame game is a common tactic used by employees to avoid accountability for their mistakes. In this setup, it becomes difficult to assign a responsibility to an individual, their capability and integrity having been compromised. It is a manager’s responsibility to ensure that such an outcome is avoided by a smart and efficient delegation and check system on his or her team of employees.