The Scapegoating Playbook at work
How competent people are broken down to protect dysfunction
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Scapegoating at work and in other social groups, including families, is a topic that always seems to hit a nerve. It brings up strong emotions for a reason. Being scapegoated is a confusing and often soul-crushing and even traumatising experience, and most people don’t realise it is happening until they are already deep into the pattern.
I have written about scapegoating in professional settings, why it happens, and how to step out of the role once you recognise it.
I thought it would be helpful to provide a breakdown of the predictable and sometimes overlapping stages of scapegoating, to help you identify whether this is happening to you and which stage you might be experiencing. It follows a recognisable pattern, which is why it is often described as a playbook. I am not the first person to outline a Scapegoating Playbook and I will not be the last. There are many versions, and this is the one I have put together based on my own observations and experiences with the scapegoating process.
There are eight stages in the playbook. Seven are carried out by the scapegoating instigator and their Flying Monkeys (enablers), while the final stage is more within the control of the targeted person.
This piece offers a brief overview of each stage. I will also be releasing an eBook that includes more than thirty posts featuring scapegoat narratives and images that illustrate how these stages unfold. It is designed to help you recognise if this is something you are facing at work, in your family, or in any other group dynamic.
This post also brings together ideas and writing I have shared previously that explore each of these stages in more depth, for those who want to go further.
Scapegoating thrives in narcissistic systems — environments that prioritise image, control, and loyalty over reflection, transparency, and repair. These systems depend on unspoken rules, emotional containment, and the quiet removal of anything that challenges the dominant narrative.