Separate the person from the problem

Why this rule exists

When something goes wrong, the instinct is to locate the fault in a person, and once you've done that, you stop looking at the system that let it happen. Blame feels satisfying and teaches nothing. People who fear being labeled the problem hide their mistakes, and hidden mistakes are how small failures become large ones. Treating the issue as a shared problem to solve, rather than a person to indict, keeps the information flowing and the learning possible. You can hold someone accountable without making them the villain.