Create a Culture of Learning

When something goes wrong within an organization, there is a tendency to focus on identifying who dropped the ball. While discovering the source of the problem is a logical starting point to prevent a reoccurrence, it can also demoralize employees.

Focusing on blame creates a culture of fear in which creativity is stifled and employees concentrate on avoiding punishment--whether public embarrassment, disciplinary action, or dismissal--at any cost. There are several examples of this type of culture, including doctors who are fearful of being sued for a missed diagnosis so they classify healthy patients as sickly.

On the other hand, creating a culture that embraces learning sends the signal that mistakes are an inevitable part of growth and success. For example, Children's Hospitals and Clinics in Minneapolis created a culture of learning by implementing an anonymous reporting system that allows any of the hospital's employees to report medical errors without revealing their identity.

Also, the organization has adopted an open communication policy that admits liability to patients for medical errors. Ironically, research involving drug-administration errors reveals that high-performing medical institutions and teams are more likely to admit errors, and these disclosures provide opportunities to learn from and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

However, the institutions that reported the least amount of errors were not rated as highly in performance and reputation. Their failure to acknowledge mistakes impedes opportunities for growth and improvement.

Leaders can create a culture of learning by rewarding responsibility over denying or shifting blame, and by creating a system of open and honest feedback. They can also shape a learning-based culture by admitting their own vulnerability to make mistakes.

Both leaders and employees can help to create a better environment by taking a rational approach to blame and credit. Most people are inclined to expect and accept praise while rejecting accountability and criticism.

Realizing the historical, cultural, and situational dynamics of credit and blame can help individuals to better understand themselves and others. Armed with this knowledge, companies can sidestep blame game triggers and focus on learning from the past while forging a successful future.

This article is based on the book "The Blame Game." The book summary is available online at Business Book Summaries.