The reason you take this cowardly course, of course, is because you live on what Galindo calls "Planet What Should Be," while she resides on "Planet What Is." In Galindo's cosmology, you could also live on "Planet Guilt" or in "the Land of Finger-Pointing and Blaming." According to "The 85 Percent Solution," it's better to take the blame yourself rather than fingering a friend. No matter how serious and career-ending a situation may be, Galindo insists, stand up and take 85 percent to 100 percent of the blame … and the consequences.
That's what I call living on Planet Jerk, but don't fret. You'll soon inhabit a permanent space station on Planet Unemployed.
Throughout the book, Galindo provides handy-dandy self-evaluations so you can calculate just how responsible you are, as well as the degree that you are empowering yourself and taking personal accountability. I'm all for empowerment, but the author's price is awfully steep. "Do you spend too much time sitting in your chair, watching too much TV, eating too many potato chips," she asks. Well, of course, you do! What else are you supposed to do at work? Work?
You are also called to "Get Off the Gossip-Go-Round." "Instead of talking about your colleagues," she suggests, "talk to them." This is truly a silly and dangerous idea. What comes next -- listening to them?
I know I've been rather negative about "The 85 Percent Solution," and I take ownership for my snarky nature. I know you join me in wanting the book to be a huge success. After all, the more people who stand up to take responsibility for all the disasters in our workplace, the less chance management will ever find out the real people to blame is us.
