We all make mistakes, that’s just a part of life.
But nothing good ever comes from blaming each other, or blaming someone else for your actions – it fact, it’s pretty harmful, especially in workplaces.
If you’ve ever felt blamed at work, or noticed an unhealthy culture of blame seeping into your teams, the tips we’ll share in this article are for you.
We’ll explore the psychology behind why people blame others, how to spot the signs of blame shifting, and steps to eliminate blame culture at work.
About the author
Recognised in Forbes 30 under 30, Kieran Innes is the Founder & CEO of Stribe and Tootoot, two platforms dedicated to empowering voices in workplaces and schools. A seasoned tech leader, Kieran has over 14 years’ experience building innovative SaaS products and teams.
Blame is simply defined as assigning fault to someone.
Blame culture in a workplace is when people focus on pointing fingers when things go wrong, rather than coming together to find solutions.
Blame is poison, and when regular blame shifting goes unaddressed, it can negatively affect every corner of your organisation – making your workplace significantly more stressful and unpleasant for your colleagues.
If blaming is so negative, why do we do it to each other?
Interestingly, blame is actually embedded in our DNA – because we feel safer and more satisfied when we’re able to avoid the feeling of failure.
According to research from MIT Sloan Management Review, feelings of blame are linked to our fight-or-flight response, and employees often fall into the trap of participating in blame culture in the workplace to defend ourselves and protect our own self-image.
This is backed up by research from Harvard Business Review, which discusses the psychology of blame and how people cope with negative experiences…
Our brains interpret blame the same way they interpret a physical attack. When we’re blamed, our prefrontal cortices effectively shut down and direct all our energy to defending ourselves, which, ironically, sabotages our ability to solve the problem for which we are being blamed. 
So, what can we do about it?
One of the first steps to creating a no-blame culture is understanding the difference between blame vs accountability.
The key difference between blame and accountability is that blame focuses on assigning fault, while accountability focuses on taking responsibility and working towards a solution.
Blame is focused on pointing fingers. Accountability is about taking ownership of your actions, learning from mistakes, and working together to fix problems. Unlike blame, accountability encourages growth, trust, and teamwork.
Those at the top of your organisation need to set the tone by not being afraid to share their own mistakes and accept accountability.
When leaders openly take responsibility, it encourages everyone else to do the same, creating a culture where people feel safe to learn and grow without fear of blame.
Clearly communicate that you are a no-blame workplace from the start. And continue to reiterate this mindset into everyday practices.
Draft a statement that outlines your no-blame approach and share it with all employees. Ask your managers to regularly remind teams of this commitment, especially when mistakes occur, and make it a core part of onboarding for new hires.
Look for patterns like employees avoiding responsibility, finger-pointing during meetings, or a reluctance to share mistakes openly. Notice if mistakes are met with punishment rather than constructive feedback.
Recognising these signs early allows you to address issues before they escalate, ensuring that your team remains focused on problem-solving rather than dwelling on who’s at fault.
Give employees space to explore new ideas and take calculated risks without fear of blame.
Treating employees as adults who can handle responsibility helps to drive creativity and problem-solving. It also reinforces the mindset that mistakes are opportunities for learning and improvement, rather than reasons for punishment.
Netflix’s emphasis on freedom in their ‘People over Process’ statement is a great example of this.
...our emphasis on individual autonomy has created an extremely successful business, with many opportunities for employees to develop and grow. In entertainment and technology, our biggest threat is a lack of creativity, adaptability and innovation. It’s why trying to minimise rules and processes (rather than errors) — while giving people the freedom to use their own judgment and learn from their mistakes — is a far superior recipe for long-term success.
Encourage employees to view mistakes as lessons rather than failures.
When something goes wrong, focus on what can be learned from the situation and how to do better next time. By approaching mistakes with a problem-solving attitude, you will you’re your colleagues be more confident and open to experimenting and improving.
Teach your team to direct their energy towards actionable steps and solutions, rather than stressing over things outside of their control.
This mindset helps keep the team’s efforts productive and positive, focusing on practical steps that drive progress and build a more resilient workplace.
Language matters. Choose your words wisely; those that encourage openness and learning rather than blame.
For instance, using “could” instead of “should” and “we” instead of “you” when discussing mistakes makes the conversation feel less judgmental and more supportive.
e.g. “What could we have done differently?” vs “You should have done this differently.”
Being mindful of your language helps create a culture of empathy and accountability, making it easier for everyone to discuss issues constructively and work together to find solutions.
People are at the heart of everything, no matter what business you’re in. Improving culture starts with listening – listening starts with surveys.
Learn how you can start truly investing in your people, press play on our interactive demo to see Stribe for yourself.
