Skip navigation
Bookstack
The World's Largest Library of Business Book Summaries
The fastest way to expand your business knowledge

The Blame Game

How the Hidden Rules of Credit and Blame Determine Our Success or Failure

by Ben Dattner and Darren Dahl

Free Press, 2011

Category: Leadership & Management

Get the summary
The Blame Game
Do you think you’re taking too much blame or not getting enough credit? Don’t get caught up in a game you can’t win.

In this summary, you will learn

  • Why people care about credit and blame
  • Why leaders are responsible for reframing blame
  • How to erase the “blame game” from your organization

getAbstract rating

getAbstract rating (?)

(9)
Applicability

(9)
Innovation

(8)
Style

(8)
Level of Expertise (?)

(3)

Why you should read The Blame Game

No one likes to be blamed when something goes wrong. Unfortunately, far too many people are quick to point fingers when the company misses a deadline or a project falls short of expectations. A work culture where employees hesitate to make decisions or don’t believe that they receive enough credit creates dysfunction, prevents a firm from operating efficiently and stifles growth. Psychologist Ben Dattner’s first-rate analysis of the dynamics of “the blame game” is pertinent reading for employees everywhere, from CEOs to receptionists. getAbstract believes this meaningful book will compel you to reassess your business environment, your relationships with co-workers, and, most important, your own motives and behavioral patterns. If you fail to take advantage of this bountiful knowledge, well, you have only yourself to blame.

About the Authors

Ben Dattner, founder of Dattner Consulting, is an adjunct professor of psychology at New York University. Darren Dahl, contributing editor at Inc. magazine, has collaborated on several business books.

Do you like this summary?

19

Comment on this summary

Sign in to share your opinion

  1. February 19, 2013 Olga Ayala
    perfect, it is a hard lecture
  2. January 25, 2013 Olga Voloshenko
    The topic is really quite painful, especially nowadays when unemployment trend is so high over the world and people are afraid about loosing the job. But at the same time the it makes the internal competition even more sharp and even acquiring ugly forms of aspersion and betrayal.That is why some people intentionally hide the truth or dangerous information behind the back in order not to be blamed for "bad weather forecast", but later when the storm breaks down they are trying to find the other victims in order people will not find that they know the reasons of the catastrophe.
    Having been evident of several cases like that I would recommend to the top management the following:
    - create as friendly and supportive atmosphere inside the company,( team, group, etc),as possible. People shouldn't be afaraid of each other and especially of the boss. They have to be confident and beleive that they are doing the common job and whatever the situation is there are shoulderswho can share with you the responsibility for mistake or rejoice the victory. The people should feel and really have corporative responsibility and avoid the repeated mistakes of so many companies when there are special heroes to get the prize and special victims to be punished.

Want More?

Buy the book

Customers who read this summary also read