STOP the Blame Game!

Business Changes

Business changes, and with it comes hiring—and firing. That’s life.

Why the Blame Game?

Remember restructuring? Companies no longer hide behind vague phrases like “restructuring” or “change of direction.” Instead, they’ve turned around and pointed fingers at employees. They call them underperformers. Imagine calling thousands of people goldbrickers, lazy slackers, and low performers—blaming the victims for decisions made way above their heads. Often times these are the same people that received glowing reviews before the layoff.

Think about it. Giants like Meta, Intel, X, Stripe—and yes, even the U.S. government—are quick to label hardworking people as the problem. It’s no longer about shifting markets or strategic pivots. It’s about dodging responsibility. When a company fails, the CEOs, the Boards, and the leaders who crafted these environments should be the ones taking the hit. They hired, they trained, they promoted; they created the very positions that are now being discarded.

If anyone’s a low performer, it’s the company that can’t stand up to its own decisions. It’s time to stop the blame game. Own your mistakes, lead with integrity, and stop using people as scapegoats. Blaming your employees is disgusting behavior. Why would a board of directors tolerate such behavior from their CEOs? Everyone is replaceable.

They Delight in Cruelty

Is there some sort of delight in hurting someone who worked for you? Is the point of all of this to put a black mark on the people who believed in your company and worked hard for you? These people need to work, they have a right to work. Why make it harder for them? Is there no compassion? To quote Army Counsel Joseph Welch during the McCarthy hearings, "Have you no sense of decency, sir?"

If you’re considering joining an organization that shirks responsibility and deflects accountability, think twice. Because when business changes—and it always will—it’s the leaders who must have the courage to stand up and own their actions. Do not take the risk of being labeled an underperformer. Who wants to hire a low performer? Protect yourself and your career. Do not work with these companies - join their competitors instead.

Enough is enough. Let’s call out this cowardice and demand that companies be accountable for their own missteps, not the thousands of hardworking individuals who are left to bear the brunt.