Accountability and Deflecting Blame

For some, the art of deflecting blame is their only strategy. Their tactics are focussed on existing, and never being accountable for anything unless the outcome is fruitful and positive so they receive the reward. For the average knowledge warrior, deflecting blame is an escape mechanism adapted according to the situation and how honourable they feel at the time. There are two reasons to deflect blame: One, it is not your fault. Two, it is your fault but you wish it weren’t. Regardless of the reason, the outcome is to be the same: Someone else is to blame. Entire industries are built on deflecting blame, shifting accountability, proclaiming innocence, and carrying out due-diligence to prove they could never be to blame for something they might be blamed for in the future. At a basic level, you should know before you are involved in anything, the risk, reward and the probability that people will blame you, first and foremost, if there is a problem. Don’t play pool with professional hustlers and don’t work with professional blamers.
People deflect blame by removing themselves from the inception, implementation, ownership, outcome, and anything else they can think of when the shit hits the fan. There is no end to deflecting blame and the more a person grasps for reasons why they are not to blame, the more they are to blame. The energy people spend deflecting blame could be used correcting simple mistakes, but people are scared of having one mistake ruin their career and thwarting their path to power, glory, and riches. Can you blame them?

If you wish to be a success in the world, promise everything, deliver nothing
 – Napoleon Bonaparte