Final answer:
Stephan's behavior in deflecting criticism to his co-workers represents the Denial of Responsibility. This is a tactic employed to shift blame away from oneself by pointing to external factors or individuals, and can include attacking the authority or credibility of the accuser, which is known as the Condemnation of the Condemners.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Stephan, a new employee, attempts to deflect criticism for his negative accomplishments to his co-workers, this behavior is known as the Denial of Responsibility. Essentially, Stephan is not taking responsibility for his actions and instead is placing the blame on others, which is a technique used to shift attention away from oneself by pointing to external factors or other individuals. This could also be viewed as a form of self-serving bias, where an individual makes internal attributions for successes and external attributions for failures. An example could be if Stephan were to argue that a mistake wasn't his fault because he was given insufficient resources or support from the team.
Another relevant concept is the Condemnation of the Condemners, where an individual under criticism defends themselves by attacking the accuser. This shifts the focus off their own behavior and questions the credibility or authority of the person making the critique. The underlying strategy in both cases is to prevent oneself from being blamed or having to adopt a negative label by creating an alternative narrative that distracts from the actual issue at hand.
In professional settings, it's crucial for employees to build credibility and demonstrate accountability for their actions. Accepting responsibility when things go wrong and striving to correct them is an important aspect of professional growth and building trust within a team.