MENTOR - JARGON BUSTER

What is blamestorming? A problem shared is a problem halved - or is it?

What is. blamestorming? Aproblem shared is a problem halved - or is it?

If you find yourself sitting in a group discussing - ad nauseam - who did what when a deadline was missed or a project failed, then you may find it's a problem doubled. Just as a good brainstorming session can create good ideas out of thin air, a 'blamestorming' session can generate bad feeling out of nowhere. We all make mistakes - but not everyone likes to admit it.

The temptation to pass the buck when a piece of work fails is overwhelming for many managers, and getting as many people as possible into the conversation is one way of spreading the blame. Alarm bells should ring if you are invited to discuss what went wrong with a project which you had very little to do with quite a long time ago: expect your contribution to have suddenly mushroomed in size and importance, and your stock of blameworthiness to have increased to the same degree.

Can you escape from a blamestorming? They are frequently addictive, so keep your appearance short and to the point - say your piece and claim a prior engagement (possibly a rival blamestorming). Boycotting a collective blamefest entirely may be a high-risk strategy, however. Blame is likely to storm in your direction if you are not there to put firm limits on the extent of your responsibility.