Accountability, Attribution & Getting Beyond Blame

How often do we take part in pointing fingers at others when things go arye?  In the same instance, do we evaluate our part in the undesired results?  The same should be asked about attribution.  Do we give credit and praise where there is high performance, or with our hard work and diligence are we making sure that our fulfillment and follow up is recognized and value built?  These are the proper questions to be asking ourselves as we evaluate our interpersonal communication and introspection.

I speak as one who has not always measured up in accountability, attribution and getting beyond blame.  This topic is a large bit to chew in one post, but they go hand in hand and must be addressed simultaneously.  

Accountability: These quotes pretty much sum it up.  

“A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” 

― Thomas Paine

“It is wrong and immoral to seek to escape the consequences of one's acts.” 
― Mahatma Gandhi

“Peace comes from within.  Do not seek it without.” 

― Gautama Buddha

Attribution:  Here is the theory explained by Bernard Weiner.

"Weiner developed a theoretical framework that has become very influential in social psychology today. Attribution theory assumes that people try to determine why people do what they do, that is, interpret causes to an event or behavior. A three-stage process underlies an attribution:"

1. behavior must be observed/perceived
2. behavior must be determined to be intentional
3. behavior attributed to internal or external causes

"Weiner’s attribution theory is mainly about achievement. According to him, the most important factors affecting attributions are ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck. Attributions are classified along three causal dimensions:"

1. locus of control (two poles: internal vs. external)
2. stability (do causes change over time or not?)
3. controllability (causes one can control such as skills vs. causes one cannot control such as luck, others’ actions, etc.)

"When one succeeds, one attributes successes internally (“my own skill”). When a rival succeeds, one tends to credit external (e.g. luck). When one fails or makes mistakes, we will more likely use external attribution, attributing causes to situational factors rather than blaming ourselves. When others fail or make mistakes, internal attribution is often used, saying it is due to their internal personality factors."

"Attribution is a three stage process: (1) behavior is observed, (2) behavior is determined to be deliberate, and (3) behavior is attributed to internal or external causes."

"Achievement can be attributed to (1) effort, (2) ability, (3) level of task difficulty, or (4) luck.
Causal dimensions of behavior are (1) locus of control, (2) stability, and (3) controllability."

Getting Beyond Blame:  Oh the bain of our existence!

“The search for a scapegoat is the easiest of all hunting expeditions.” 
― Dwight D. Eisenhower

“If the soul is left in darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but the one who causes the darkness. (Monseigneur Bienvenu in _Les Miserables_)” 
― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables



"Judge not, that ye be not judged.  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye."

― Jesus of Nazareth, Sermon on the Mount

At the end of the day, the things that we experience shape the person who we become, it is up to us which direction we take it..positive or negative. There is a plan for us either way. There are things in life that just happen for no rhyme or reason and trying to rationalize them makes no sense. Blaming others for the disappointments that come along in life does not fix the situation. My favorite quote today was "You have an appointment with destiny...Do You!", don't' give anyone or anything that much power over you by blaming them/it for your tough times or disappointments. March on and "Do You", the miracle is in the process. 

Written By:  Timothy James Andrus