Blame — Article by Mary Poppendieck
Here's a nice article by Mary Poppendieck, who is known for her work with Lean software development (including the book Implementing Lean Software Development: From Concept to Cash)
“Note the thinking here: Problems are caused by people who don't do their job well, so finding someone to blame is the first step to correcting problems.”
Even though Mary's field is software, you'll find something to learn in her article, as she talks about the history in terms of manufacturing and engineering.
Why is blame so common in any human system? It's pretty well hard wired into us — Koko the Gorilla, who learned sign language, once blamed her pet cat (yes, it's true, read about it here). Little kids quickly learn to blame, it's one of the first things they do with their communications abilities.
In business, why can't we evolve past gorillas and children? Why do we normally point the finger of blame when something goes wrong, instead of looking at the system and systemic causes?
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Mark Graban
Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, author, and professional speaker who has worked in healthcare, manufacturing, and startups. He is author of the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, as well as The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen. His most recent book is the anthology Practicing Lean that benefits the Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation, where Mark is a board member. Mark is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus. His latest book has been released as an "in-progress" book, titled Measures of Success.