Management & 1-on-1s
What to Say When an Employee Blames Others for Their Mistakes
When a direct report deflects blame onto product, marketing, or external vendors, allowing it creates a culture of helplessness. How to coach personal ownership.
Amit KasliwalCEO & Founder, Dehurdle
August 19, 20261 min read
The Friction
When an employee says 'Marketing didn't give me good leads,' arguing with them about marketing makes them more defensive. Re-anchor on their locus of control.
The Locus of Control Shift
Recommended script
"Marketing's lead flow is something we are addressing at leadership. But within the 40 leads assigned to you, our conversion was 5% while the team average was 18%. Let's look at your first 3 minutes of call discovery to see how we can maximize the conversations you do have."
The 2-Minute Practice Drill
2-Minute Spoken Practice
The 2-Minute Practice Drill
Practice holding direct reports accountable in a Dehurdle simulation.
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