The slide below is from my 2010 Lean leadership training workshop (Module 2 of 4). By now, we know this. Or, if we’re truthful, we think we know this. But there is always more to learn.
It turns out there are two different types of blame: overt and covert. Most Lean professionals are highly attuned to overt blame (perhaps over-attuned at times), and they do what they can to eliminate it.
But in all organizations, there is also an undercurrent of covert blame. Both have the effect of hiding problems — sometimes for decades (recent example, Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.)
Can you think of examples of covert blame in your organization? How many can you think of?
