Ending Blame and Defensiveness in Relationships
(How to Have the Shortest Argument ever)
“We always fight over the dumbest little things”“I don’t even remember how it started”“My husband blames me for everything”“My wife blames me for everything that goes wrong”
This blog is about
blame in relationships
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| Mediate to Go - Ending Blame and Defensiveness in Relationships Blame should not be placed in any of the above baskets. Learn how to end blame and defensiveness. |
Introduction to Blame and Defensiveness
Often, conflicts over something very small are then fuelled by blame and defensiveness and blow up
into a full-blown argument. The original problem gets lost because we have
added so many layers of blame and defensiveness that we are arguing about the way we argue, rather than what
actually happened. Why do we feel the need to
blame someone else or search for someone
to blame? It’s time to stop pointing
the finger of blame, and time to shift blame into something positive.
Let’s stop blame!
Definition of Blame
Blame means “to place the responsibility for (a fault,
error, etc.)” (Dictionary.com).
Synonyms for blame include repudiation, criticism, accusation, attack, charge,
chiding, complaint. (Thesaurus.com).
Definition of Defensiveness
Defensiveness is to be “excessively concerned with guarding
against the real or imagined threat of criticism, injury to one's ego, or
exposure of one's shortcomings” (Dictionary.com).
Synonyms for defensiveness include averting, preventive, thwarting, coping
with, defending, safeguarding, in opposition (Thesaurus.com).
What you need to know about blame and defensiveness
First, let’s be clear that really small things are not worth
talking about at all, and we can learn to have compassion for our partner’s
imperfection and let those little things go. This blog about fixing relationships by sorting
things into baskets can help you decide if something is worth bringing
up.
Once you’ve decided to bring up an issue, how you do it is
important. These are bad
starters: “You always…”, “You never…”
“I’m sick and tired of…” “Would you just stop…”. Approaching someone with blame and
generalizations or telling them what to do (or not to do) invites defensiveness. When we feel attacked, it’s human instinct
to defend ourselves. So, the first step to stopping defensiveness is to not
blame.
Steps to address blame and defensiveness.
1. Try a Preamble to reduce defensiveness:
·
“This is a small thing…”
·
“This is a 1 on the scale…”
·
“I’m not upset with you…”
·
“I don’t need you to do anything differently…”
·
“Please only hear me. You don’t need to
respond…”
·
“I know it wasn’t your intention to come across
this way…”
2. Deliver a short explanation of The Issue:
The goal is to give information about how you respond to
something your partner does. Make the
delivery short and sweet.
·
“I
was embarrassed when you told that racial joke in front of Emma”
·
“When you keep forgetting to pick up my dry
cleaning, I feel like what I want doesn’t matter.”
·
“When you aren’t ready and I want to leave I
feel frustrated that I’m made to be late”
·
“When you roll your eyes and speak in that tone,
I feel two years old”.
3. Try to END IT THERE!
Expect no response. Leave. Give your partner time to absorb it. Get in the habit of ending the delivery right there so defensives can’t creep in. If they get defensive, try:
·
“I’m not sure you’re hearing me. Remember I
don’t need you to feel badly…just to understand.”
4. The Time to EXPLAIN is LATER!
Often, the urge to
defend ourselves is simply us wanting our partner to know that our intent was not to hurt them. BUT there
should be at least enough time in between
the delivery and the explanation to assure the partner that they are
understood. It’s certainly okay to reassure someone you had no ill intent. The
problem is that if it happens too soon,
it comes across as defensiveness.
Putting a space in between the delivery and the defense can
help keep little things from blowing up into big ones.
About the Author – Ending Blame and Defensiveness
Lynda Martens is the Wabisabi
Therapist and a contributor to the Mediateto Go Blog. Please read her other contributions by searching on this page
for Lynda Martens.
Further listening – songs about blame.
Check out the Mediate2go Top 10 lists about conflict. One of
the songs deals with blame.
Further reading - more quotes on blame.
A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.Arnold H. Glasow
Too often in life, something happens and we blame other people for us not being happy or satisfied or fulfilled. So the point is, we all have choices, and we make the choice to accept people or situations or to not accept situations.Tom Brady
A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.John Burroughs
I think it's very important that you make your own decision about what you are. Therefore you're responsible for your actions, so you don't blame other people.Prince William
