Hide behind

Pro Tip 1/3

Criticism Avoidance

Used when someone doesn't want to be criticized and uses something else to divert attention.

Whenever work performance comes up, Laura tries to hide behind her team's achievements.

Pro Tip 2/3

Subtle Deflection

Subtly directing accountability away from oneself to something or someone else.

He'll hide behind company policies whenever there's an unpopular decision to announce.

Pro Tip 3/3

Passive Technique

It's often a passive way of handling situations rather than being upfront.

As a boss, she tends to hide behind emails to avoid confronting employees directly.