Re:A Few Words About Blameless Culture – By Michael Hart – O...
by galangalalgol on Monday December 04, 2023 @07:25AM
(#38516420)
Inability to admit wrongdoing is just one of many diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality (sociopaththy). In my experience its only mid level managers and up that are explicitly trained not to admit wrongdoing in the US. I've always felt free to do so and all the good engineers I've worked with have done the same.
I know that part of it is lawyers and police. If you say "I'm sorry," in many contexts, that puts you on the hook, legally. Most lawyers will advise you to keep your mouth shut, and never, ever admit a thing.
I was taught to promptly admit when I'm wrong; regardless of the consequences. Also, to not cop to stuff that I'm not responsible for.
I have often had arguments with (American) people, where they are 100%, without-a-shred-of-doubt, wrong. Often, embarrassingly so, yet, they Will. Not. Admit. It.
I could bring the spirits of Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking in, to show them they are wrong, and they will still never admit it.
It's actually kind of sad.
My ability to apologize worked extremely well, in the Japanese corporation. They respected it, and I was given a great deal of deference.
On the other hand, the Americans tended to be pretty much dicks about it. If I apologized, they usually tried to use it to gain some leverage, and bully me.