If the Blamer-Complainer works for you or is a peer, you will probably not be able to convince him to accept responsibility for failure; instead, preempt him by adopting a shared-responsibility policy. Set a fine example, accepting blame for mistakes when you make them.
SPREAD OUT THE RESPONSIBILITY
Make the tactical move to put the Blamer-Complainer on a team with like-minded people. Teamwork requires everyone to share responsibility for planning and executing a project, including addressing any problems that may arise. In a team situation, the Blamer-Complainer will be subject to peer pressure to share accountability. Coach the team to adopt shared responsibility going into projects, not merely after things go wrong.
The acknowledgment that there will be mistakes, miscues, misfires, and miscalculations will help everyone accept responsibility for snafus, including the Blamer-Complainer.
ACKNOWLEDGE THE GOOD AND THE BAD
Every team that makes mistakes does a lot of things right, too. The things that are done well deserve as much discussion and documentation as the things that went wrong - and at equal, if not greater, volume. Helping teammates chronicle recommendations for future projects will shift the Blamer-Complainer's focus in a positive direction.
SET THE EXAMPLE
Bosses goof up just like anyone else, and it builds employees' spirits to hear a boss admit a mistake. Show subordinates, especially the Blamer-Complainer, that it's okay to make a mistake. Encourage people to think carefully about what went wrong. For example, say "We made progress toward getting the outcomes we're looking for. Now let's take a hard look at the lessons we learned this time around and how we can improve next time."
CAMPAIGN AGAINST FAULT-FINDING
Acknowledge that people make mistakes, but reward people who offer solutions by giving them extra time off or the problem-solver-of-the-mouth parking space - whatever is appropriate - while ignoring those who blame and complain. Recognizing and encouraging problem solvers will give Blamer-Complainers motivation to change.
CORRECT CORRESPONDENCE
Don't stop at eliminating the use of blaming and complaining terminology in conversation; make sure it doesn't creep into written communications and documents. If the Blamer-Complainer has a tendency to point out blame in his e-mails, letters, or other documents, call him on it. Encourage people to use positive, solution-oriented language. Say to them, "Instead of telling me who is to blame, give me solutions and better practices to follow."
COVER YOUR BACKSIDE
If your boss is the Blamer-Complainer, your only option is to keep meticulous records of your works so that he cannot complain about your work or blame you.
BE HUMBLE
Don't argue with you Blamer-Complainer boss if he has the least bit of evidence that you have not performed as well as could be expected. Take the information your boss provides and write up guidelines you will follow to improve your performance next time. Then get the Blamer-Complainer to sign off on this "contract" in writing. Follow your new guidelines, then send him a report of your work, complete with the initial "contract." Your Blamer-Complainer boss might not find anything positive about your performance, but he won't be able to find fault with it either.
If you document your achievements, when the opportunity arises to apply for another jobs, you will have a good track record to boast about. Your Blamer-Complainer boss cannot legally say bad things to a prospective new employer. As much as he loves to blame and complain, confirming the legitimacy of paperwork he signed off on is about the only action available to your former Blamer-Complainer boss.
Whereas Blamer-Complainer can be irritating, they can also be helpful. When you need a critical eye to look at a project and tell you what's going wrong, the Blamer-Complainer may well be your best consultant. Want to find the potential problems with a proposal? Pitch it to a Blamer-Complainer. What he gripes about could help you save money, time, and effort later on.