Team to analyze a non conformance

Instead of a blame game, why not come together and solve the problem as a team? Identify potential causes and after validating the causes, work on that cause / particular area together.
Get top management involved in initial meetings if there is such an issue.

Lots of good input from the regulars so far.

"Physics rarely respects organizational boundaries" is a great quote.

I gotta wonder if the "not me" culture developed as a survival response as a result of seeing people who admitted a mistake or were assigned blame being berated, yelled-at, "written-up" and maybe fired by Management. Fear in the workplace is still, unfortunately, very common.

it's called the culture of blame and it is strong!

Ninja said:

Who did this?
"Not me"
That's what children do... adults shouldn't get to use that answer IMO.

Click to expand...

And other strange things is: I am a new employee and without training about the process and the product, they put me to help solving issues with the logistic team ( packaging, warehouse, shipment are causing many of the customer complaints). I am now finding myself, talking about pallets, plastic, trucks, which was also never a part of my career expertise.

[ Yes, it is strange. It's sort of like: one group investigates one branch of a fishbone diagram, and another group investigates a different branch of a fishbone diagram. But nobody is investigating the entire diagram.[/QUOTE]

And other strange things is: I am a new employee and without training about the process and the product, they put me to help solving issues with the logistic team ( packaging, warehouse, shipment are causing many of the customer complaints). I am now finding myself, talking about pallets, plastic, trucks, which was also never a part of my career expertise.

Mike S. said:

Lots of good input from the regulars so far.

"Physics rarely respects organizational boundaries" is a great quote.

I gotta wonder if the "not me" culture developed as a survival response as a result of seeing people who admitted a mistake or were assigned blame being berated, yelled-at, "written-up" and maybe fired by Management. Fear in the workplace is still, unfortunately, very common.

Click to expand...

About this point you mentioned really well observed:
here what they do is to do monthly charts indicating which "area" caused the non conformities. They don't have the aspects of the "company" has an issue to solve. And also, if "your area" is creating to many problems, this impact in your performance during your annual employee evaluation.

Sounds like your company's approach to problem solving is akin to Salem in the 17th century.

If you lead the problem solving activities refrain from asking "who". Someone here posted a comment on how they threatened to kick people from meetings when the "who" questions were asked and I'm really annoyed I can't find or remember it. How, why and when will get you to the root causes quicker and with less casualties.

Alternatively, you could invest in fireproof clothing.

Johnny Quality said:

Someone here posted a comment on how they threatened to kick people from meetings when the "who" questions were asked and I'm really annoyed I can't find or remember it. How, why and when will get you to the root causes quicker and with less casualties.

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Resistance to solve Issues
(remove the space in the URL)

Short of commiseration, there's nothing anyone here can do to help the OP. The problem is most likely at least two levels above his, and changing the culture can happen only if the person at the top demands it. Many executive horses have been led to cool, clean water and then died of thirst while ignoring it.

The Japanese have the concept of saving face. That is they try not to single individuals out for blame. Its also important to give any guilty parties a way to escape with their reputation mostly intact. Not knowing your company culture it may need to be addressed more holistically.