What’s Your Excuse?
“I had every intention of getting that document to you by the deadline but I always have too much on my plate.” We all want extra points for good intentions when we don’t follow through on a commitment but we aren’t so generous when a colleague makes excuses for repeatedly missing the mark.
Habits Hold Us Back
Making excuses is one of Marshall Goldsmith’s 20 habits that hold us back. Goldsmith doesn’t let us off the hook when we blame others or say, “That’s just the way I am.” Who is responsible for how much is on our plates? We are.
How Can We Change?
If we want our colleagues’ respect, we have to align our intention and execution. To do that, we need to look at what’s getting in the way. Some possible obstacles could be:
- Selfishness – thinking that our priorities supersede everyone else’s
- Habit – it can be hard to change if we’ve gotten away with something for many years
- Accountability – we need help doing what we know we should
I invite you to consider excuses you might be making and why, then make a plan to change that behavior and find an accountability partner. Practice, repeat, practice, repeat…
