The Blame Game

Our department has codified blame.

Let me back-track and explain.

I work in the technology field, which means that I mostly work with men. 

(Parents - please, please, please encourage your daughters to take math and science classes - the technology field is sorely in need of women!)

I like working with men.  (Note - generalizations coming up... these are based on my experiences and may not be universal).  Men are focused on work, but can have a good time.  There are generally not any backstabbing/jealousy/relationship-y type things going on. Men usually have the best and most accurate gossip, because all the other women tell them things while they are flirting with them... And the teasing is fun.

So back to the blame game...

It started out accidentally about two years ago.  One of the guys in our group started saying that everything that happened on Wednesday was his fault... and we took it and ran.  We have now broken it down so that everyone knows:

Monday is Hugh's fault.
Tuesday is Jason's fault.
Wednesday is Kevin's fault.
Thursday is mine.
And Friday belongs to Jamie.
Weekends and float days (any day someone is not in on their own day) belong to Rick.  (Normally this would be broken out, but we are currently down one person.  Once we've hired our new person, S/he will be responsible for float days.)

What does this mean?  It means that anything that happens on your day is your fault.  Stock market down?  Your fault.  Oil prices up?  Your fault.  Unrest in the Middle East?  Your fault.  Celebrity scandal?  Your fault.  Political scandal?  Your fault.  Snow, earthquake, flooding...  all your fault.

Of course we like to take credit for things too - is it a beautiful, sunny day?  You're welcome.  Pay day?  You're welcome.  Favored team won the Super Bowl?  You're welcome. 

What does this do? 

One it give us a running inside joke, which helps with our team moral.  I think this is important, especially right now, since we work for the state and the state is currently cutting a lot of things, maybe including our jobs, and with an uncertain future, anything that helps with moral is a good thing.

It is also very freeing to be able to blame someone for things that are nobody's fault.  It's like a mini closure every time.  And by rotating and codifying the blame, everyone gets to both blame and take the blame.  This ensures that none of us are too stressed by the blame we take on, and we can still laugh about things outside of our control.

What do you think?  Are there slightly crazy or deranged things that your team or department do that tie you closer together and help you get through the day?

Tell me what you thing... since everything that happens today is Hugh's fault.