I just finished a project where the client Director had an array of fascinating but damaging behaviours. One of these was to never hold internal project resources (i.e. her operational staff) accountable for their mistakes. Her favourite person to pass the blame to, usually in a nasty-toned email, was the student intern - the youngest, least experienced, and hardest-working member of the team with undoubtedly the toughest job. If the intern was not physically present to receive the blame, then the Director would unload it on the consultant.
A simple example. The trainer who was a seconded internal resource and had worked with the Director for years, made many major errors such as giving incorrect information to trainees about project dates, times, plans, objectives, and roles and responsibilities which would confuse and upset the trainees. When someone complained to the Director, she went to the change management consultant and asked "Why did this happen?" instead of addressing the trainer. This behaviour was so consistent and overt, that it got to a point where external resources like the intern and consultants could easily predict it and laugh about it before it even happened.
Unfortunately, this behaviour is all to common in client-consultant relationships, and it usually comes from a very high level in the organization. The client has an easy target for blame whom she/he can abuse with no impact on long-term relationships, and the target has no recourse but to leave. Some clients knowingly hire consultants for this purpose, so they have someone to blame and/or fire if projects do not work out. But for most clients, like the one above, it is a subconscious behaviour that they are not even aware of. Either way, it is highly dysfunctional and destructive, and an excellent example of how NOT to work with consultants.
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