The Toxic Shaming and Blaming of Holding People Accountable at Work
My elementary school sat in front of a junkyard. For years, I gazed in wonder at the treasures that lay beyond the chain-linked fence. In fifth grade, I finally decided to explore it with two classmates. During the journey, we found a piece of metal stretched across a ditch. Like the ten-year-olds we were, we jumped on it to see if it bounced like a trampoline. Nope. I fell, and a scrap of metal gashed my leg, leaving behind a gnarly scar. I got in trouble, but I also answered my question — the only thing beyond the fringe was scrap metal.
You may think that cutting my leg to the bone encouraged me to play it safe. Instead, the scar offers a tangible reminder of my rebel soul. Curiosity deserves to be answered.
Throughout my decade career, I’ve noticed many neither seek to ask nor seek to answer. I see folks carrying a torch for the status quo, happy to follow the rules. There’s something maddening in that to me. The status quo at work isn’t for me𑁋a woman, a mother. And yet, I’m held accountable to it.
As a society, we use “accountability” to enforce our version of morality𑁋right and wrong.
We miss opportunities for learning and create defensive, silent, sunken workforces. When mistakes…
