Remember a time when you were blamed for a poor result, interaction, or situation? It happens to all of us.
- How did you feel?
- How did your attitude and behavior change?
- What did you do next?
Unfortunately, some bosses and leaders resort to scapegoating. It hurts results and relationships. Team members lose trust in leadership.
Being scapegoated humiliates and diminishes a person’s feeling of value to the team and company. (Note: Humiliating anyone is rarely forgotten nor forgiven!) The team or team members withdraw, stop being innovative, and avoid accountability! They adopt a mindset of “going along to get along” until they find a better boss and employer.
When a leader or boss feels the need to blame others and designate scapegoats, it creates a toxic workplace culture of mistrust and distrust – sabotaging results now and in the future.
What is Scapegoating? In a business context, a scapegoat is an individual or group unfairly blamed for problems, failures, or negative outcomes within a company.
Scapegoating is one of the most destructive actions bosses and leaders can take. It can be individually targeted or systemic, where entire departments or roles are unfairly targeted.
When leaders fall into the malicious trap of scapegoating, it’s to avoid feeling like a failure. They attempt to deflect accountability from themselves and deflect focus from the true issue(s). This is especially prevalent during crises, the loss of major clients, or team failures to achieve intended results.
And, beyond team morale, scapegoating can lead to costly turnover, reputational damage, and even legal exposure.
By understanding when and how scapegoating occurs, leaders can foster a more transparent, accountable, and supportive work environment.
How to Stop Scapegoating
- Hold Yourself Accountable: As a boss/leader, you need to hold yourself accountable for your team’s results. Conduct a deep dive into “What Worked?” and “What Didn’t Work?” to create an objective overview. Ask open-ended questions of the team, co-workers, and executive management to explore what changes could have been made or what issues were ignored.
- Be an Effective Communicator: When you own your mistakes, it sets the tone for the team and company. Honest communication and straight talk encourage innovation, agility, and profitability, where everyone is engaged and not fearful of becoming a scapegoat.
- Focus on Resolving Conflict: Resolving conflicts requires your involvement to ensure people are asking open-ended questions and actively listening. When scapegoating occurs, it’s time to stop so you don’t overlook the core cause of the issue or conflict. Ensure team training is provided (e.g., project management, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, etc.) for ALL team members (including you).
- Build Ongoing Trust: Mistrust and distrust are rampant in a toxic environment where everyone blames everyone else. To build trust, talk straight. Acknowledge every team member’s contribution to the results. Leaders need to make this a daily practice to build and maintain trust with their teams.
What will you do today to foster accountability and eliminate scapegoating in your workplace?
©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved
Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.