All this sounds plausible, but now think of the cultural ramifications. The board thought they had sent a strong signal that they were tough on mistakes; they had, in fact, sent a chilling message to their staff. If you fail, we will blame you. If you mess up, you will be scapegoated. They had told their staff, with an eloquence that no memo could ever match: “Act defensively, cover your backs, and cover up the precious information that we need to flourish.”
