Victim Mentality in Damage Prevention?
For both of my regular readers, I’d like to state for the record this article is a compilation of conversations I’ve routinely had with all stakeholder groups during my 50+ years in the industry. You’ve heard the same responses along the way, so let’s see if we are on the same page.
I ask, “How do your damages compare this year to last year?” The response is (with a smile on their face), “We’ve cut damages by 30% since last year!” My response is “That’s great… what did you do differently to make that happen?” The reply is, “We didn’t do anything. There was just a lot less construction going on this year. You know, less construction, less damages.”
I see the same folks later in the year. “Damages still down?” I ask. The smile is gone, the forehead is wrinkled and I’m told, “Damages have been skyrocketing since that new project came to town.”
A victim mentality is a psychological state where individuals consistently feel powerless, blaming external circumstances or others for their struggles while avoiding personal responsibility. It is marked by chronic complaining, defensiveness, and a “why me?” attitude. Sounds like these folks could be any one of us in today’s industry, right?
Despite damage prevention conferences at the local, regional and national levels, the victim mentality flourishes. No wonder the industry is stagnant when it comes to damage prevention. We continue to measure the direct cause and ignore the root cause, which often is not just a behavioral issue, but also the current culture of damage prevention. Specifically, the presence of a victim mentality within organizations can quietly undermine even the best of intentions.
A victim mentality in damage prevention emerges when individuals or groups consistently see themselves as powerless in the face of challenges. Instead of recognizing where influence or responsibility exists, the focus shifts to blame, frustration, or resignation. You hear it in phrases like, “Late locates are not a problem, just put more locators out in the field,” or “You can’t depend on utility prints.” These frustrations may be valid, but when they become the endpoint rather than the starting point for action, they create risk.
Collaboration is more than just a buzzword in our industry. Damage prevention is inherently collaborative. Contractors, locators, facility owners, engineers, and field crews must coordinate under pressure, often in imperfect conditions. When victim-thinking takes hold, collaboration erodes. Teams begin to operate defensively, assuming failure or expecting others to fall short. Over time, this mindset doesn’t just affect morale — it increases the likelihood of utility damage, disruptions, injuries, and costly delays.
The danger lies in how victim-thinking reframes incidents. Instead of asking, “What could we have done differently?” the question becomes, “Who’s at fault?” While accountability matters, stopping at blame prevents learning. Damage prevention depends on a culture of continuous adjustment; knowing what’s below, clarifying the scope of the ticket, documenting discrepancies, or even pausing work when conditions don’t align with expectations. A victim mindset discourages these proactive behaviors because it reinforces the belief that outcomes of any project are beyond our control.
On the other hand, an ownership mindset does not deny external challenges; it acknowledges them while still asking, “What is within my control?” Ownership thinking leads to practical actions: knowing the local dig laws, requesting re-marks, verifying the marks, or strengthening documentation practices. Ownership does not react negatively to failure but rather learns from it. These behaviors don’t eliminate systemic problems overnight, but they reduce exposure which builds confidence and trust into daily operations.
Ultimately, damage prevention is not just about avoiding mistakes; it is about cultivating a mindset that actively seeks solutions. Every excavation event contains uncertainty. A culture grounded in ownership treats uncertainty as a call to action rather than a justification for victim thinking.
When organizations replace victim thinking with personal accountability and protecting underground infrastructure, we stop being reactive and become intentional in defining who we are and what we stand for. The result is not perfection; it is progress. It is learning how to recover quickly from difficulties, and a stronger collective commitment to protecting people, infrastructure, and the communities they serve.
Said by a wiser possum than me, “We have met the enemy and he is us!”