How many times do we experience the situation when something bad happens and the manager who feels they may be responsible has his, or her, moral-fortitude challenged? The challenged manager inevitably goes into self-preservation mode. “Can I duck for cover?” and avoid the flak is their first question. But, and as with most bad situations, there is no time so how can blame be diverted?

“What to do?” is the next pressing question…and the answer is …“Email!”

By emailing as many people as possible the seeds of doubt can be quickly sown. Other people can be quickly (and apparently innocently) be involved by implication. One email, many recipients; ‘the buck has been passed’ and everybody, not just the challenged manager, is now involved. The bad situation has now become a team effort. After all, that’s what teams are for, so everybody can share the burden of blame and not just me (as the saying goes, “there’s no “I” in team”).

Spreading the blame can really work. It dilutes the blame per team member and possibly places it onto somebody else completely. ‘Spreading’ also enamors challenged managers to their teammates thereby enhancing their personal credibility. This is especially so in the fullness of time; their name can go down in history.

And there we have it, Pontius Pilate Management.

“washing a mess off your hands
while generating plausible deniability in a visible and potentially ultimate historic move”.

Bio:

MBA, MSc DIC, BSc; Chartered Engineer, Chartered Geologist, PMP

Over thirty years’ experience on large multidisciplinary infrastructure projects including rail, metro systems, airports, roads, marine works and reclamation, hydropower, tunnels and underground excavations.

Project management; design & construction management; and contract administrative in all project phases from feasibility, planning & design, procurement, implementation, execution and completion on Engineer’s Design and Design & Build schemes.