People get fixated on who is to blame when something is broken, especially in software development.
Nobody wants to be blamed. We want to look smart. We want to pretend that we never make mistakes.
I used to work with a guy who said that assignment of blame was the most important part of solving a problem. I think thatβs insane. Time spent on blame is time you couldβve been working on fixing things!
I try to approach every problem assuming that I have done something completely stupid and that itβs all my fault. Sometimes it is and sometimes it isnβt.
Thatβs not really the point. The point is to remove your ego from the equation.
I hate trying to problem-solve with someone who spends the whole time trying to prove that something isnβt their fault.
Iβll have more respect for someone who admits their mistakes freely and then takes steps to avoid them. But, in the end, I donβt really care whoβs at fault.
I want to solve the problem.
Something is broken. Just buckle down and fix the damn thing.