Defending the Self

How do you respond to blame? Do you justify your actions, make an excuse, or refuse to admit any wrongdoing? Do you admit you are wrong and apologize?

When confronted with blame, consider your relationship with the people in the situation. How do those relationships influence your defensive account? Your choices when defending yourself have far-reaching consequences if mishandled. As you negotiate these situations, the importance of politeness, saving face, and maintaining a positive public image come into play.

In this Discussion, you analyze defensive strategies in a business environment. You also differentiate the internal and external reasons behind different types of defensive accounts.

To prepare:

Review this week's Learning Resources.

Think about a business scenario in which someone defended himself or herself with a justification or excuse. You could be involved, or you could be an observer.

Consider the use of defensive strategies in a business environment.

Consider the relationship between internal and external rationale.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post at least 300 words responding to the following:

Describe the business scenario related to the justification or excuse.

Explain the defensive strategies you noticed.

Was the reason for the justification or excuse internal or external? Why does this matter?