Author: David Cormier
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When Finger Pointing Becomes Manipulation: How Some Leaders Construct “Enemies
This is Part 3 in my series on blame and leadership. In Part 1, I explained why our brains look for someone to blame when things go wrong. Blame feels like progress, even when it isn’t. In Part 2, I talked about responsible leadership — the kind where someone steps forward and says, “This happened…
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The Dynamics of Taking Ownership: Why Accountability Is Strategy, Not Sacrifice (Part 2 of 3 Parts Finger Pointing)
I’ve been in those rooms — the ones where you can feel the air change. Something broke. A deadline slipped. A client wasn’t happy. You can watch an entire team brace for impact. People get quiet. Eyes drop. Everyone starts calculating their exposure. And then someone stands up and says, “I’ll take responsibility. Let’s get…
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The Psychology of Finger Pointing when it Comes to Blame (Part 1 of 3 Parts Finger Pointing)
You get called into the room. Something broke. The owner wants to know what happened — and who’s responsible. Everyone’s eyes drop to the table. I’ve been in that room. On both sides of it. And the thing nobody says out loud is that the search for a name feels good. It feels like progress.…