subject: Enough Excuses From Leaders [print this page] Enough Excuses From Leaders Enough Excuses From Leaders
This is true in politics with our political leaders, in organizations with the alarming increase in the dearth of true leadership, and in many businesses with ineffective and often non-visionary executives. However, what seems to be increasingly bothering many people are the endless amount of excuses that leaders keep making. Most people don't want to hear any more about excuses, but believe it's time for action.
The main difference between people I would call winners, and those who I would call losers, is getting something accomplished. Those who are constantly explaining away why something is not done, yet never get it done suffer from "terminal excusitis." Effective people always step up and take responsibility for their actions, while others do nothing constructive to achieve necessary tasks.
Leaders are not doing their jobs when they substitute excuses for actions. True leadership comes from not only refusing to accept that something can not be improved on, but coming up with viable alternatives for why it can. It is no longer tolerable for the public to be told that nothing can be done to reduce a budget because of all the "mandatory" items. Each of us, as individuals, have, at one time or another, been forced to reduce our spending habits, change our priorities, do without, or come up with another way of getting something done. It is time for us to hold our leaders responsible for getting things accomplished, and coming up with a way to get something accomplished.
Leaders often get complacent because they feel that their constituents are either unknowledgeable, uncaring, apathetic, or won't do anything to hold leadership accountable. Many officials feel they can get away with doing nothing, or can avoid action, by either making an excuse or placing blame. Someone who claims to lead must step up and take whatever steps are necessary for his constituents, as opposed to simply explaining why "it can't be done."
We must demand that all officials always be transparent and forthcoming, and explain issues fully. They must communicate alternatives, and what they are doing to remedy the situation. Using an excuse is simply negative thinking, while coming up with a viable action plan, contingency and/ or back up plans, is what should be expected and done. There are always alternatives if one uses his imagination and opens up to other ways and methods to achieve. Of course, it is far easier to merely make an excuse.
In this day and age, we need action instead of excuse making. This will only occur when constituents demand better performances from leadership.
Richard Brody has over 30 years consultative sales, marketing, training, managerial, and operations experience. He has trained sales and marketing people in numerous industries, given hundreds of seminars, appeared as a company spokesperson on over 200 radio and television programs, and regularly blogs on real estate, politics, economics, management, leadership, negotiations, conferences and conventions, etc. Richard has negotiated, arranged and/ or organized hundreds of conferences and conventions. Richard is a Senior Consultant with RGB Consultation Services, an Ecobroker, a Licensed Buyers Agent (LBA) and Licensed Salesperson in NYS, in real estate.
Richard Brody has owned businesses, been a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of Development, as well as a consultant. Richard has a Consulting Website ( http://tinyurl.com/rgbcons ); a blog ( http://tinyurl.com/rgbstake ); and can be followed on Twitter.
