{"id":539,"date":"2021-02-08T19:12:41","date_gmt":"2021-02-08T19:12:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/?p=539"},"modified":"2025-11-24T14:01:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T14:01:21","slug":"when-youre-looking-for-an-excuse-any-one-will-do-roger-c-allred","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/allred10.com\/?p=539","title":{"rendered":"“Leadership is about taking responsibility…”"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you are looking for an excuse, any one will do.\u00a0 This statement has almost universal application.\u00a0 As your legal counsel will tell you, \u201cAnyone can sue anyone else, any time for anything.\u201d\u00a0 That does not mean that the lawsuit has merit nor that it will end well, but it is a fact.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The same principle applies to leadership.\u00a0 It could be said, \u201cAnyone can justify any poor leadership decision at any time.\u201d\u00a0 This type of self-justification can destroy an organization if the leader is prone to making excuses.\u00a0 As Mitt Romney said, \u201cLeadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A leader can talk the talk of leadership but if the leader doesn\u2019t walk the talk, no one will follow.\u00a0 If there is inconsistency in what a leader says versus what he\/she does, psychologists\u00a0call this\u00a0cognitive dissonance.\u00a0 Cognitive dissonance describes the anxiety that one feels when there is a discrepancy between beliefs and behaviors.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

No one likes the feeling of being anxious, so something has change to eliminate or reduce the dissonance.\u00a0 The failing leader can chose to do only one of these three things:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Walk the talk of leadership. \u00a0This is, by far, the most difficult choice because it requires a change of attitude and performance. However, it is the only choice for someone who wants to be a successful persuasive leader.\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Stop talking the talk of good leadership and say what he\/she really thinks.\u00a0 This is an honest but dangerous approach.\u00a0 All of the leader\u2019s cards are on the table and employees will have to decide if they are willing to work for a tyrant or a crook or an incompetent or a narcissist.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Or, continue to make excuses \u2013 because any one will do.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span>The following are examples of leadership failures by making<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0an excuse:\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    1. I know that we should obey the rules but I am under incredible pressure to get this problem solved in any way I can.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
    2. I know that most leaders praise their employees for a job well done, but I shouldn’t need to praise people for doing their jobs.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
    3. I know that I should allow my employees to use their own initiative and creativity but my employees are dumber than a box of rocks.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
    4. I know that we need to work as a cohesive team but my employees work better when I let them fight it out.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
    5. I know that my goal should be to create a positive work environment but I have to micromanage to get what I want.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
    6. I know that I should train my employees and encourage learning but that\u2019s not the way that I learned the business.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
    7. I know that I should help members of my team to succeed but if they get too much credit, I might look bad.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
    8. I know that I should reward my employees fairly but I am sure that would come back to bite me since \u201cno good deed goes unpunished.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
    9. I know that I need to create a safe workplace but these goals and policies were developed by someone who doesn\u2019t have to implement them.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
    10. I know that it is more effective to discipline my employees in private and give them suggestions on how to improve but if I yell at them in front of their peers, everyone will know that I am in control.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      These ten examples are just a beginning of the excuses that people in positions of leadership use.\u00a0 Everyone is prone to make excuses for poor performance, but the successful leader will diligently work to eliminate excuses and show true leadership.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      The \u201cFour Way Test\u201d<\/a><\/span> established by Rotary International is an excellent way to question the virtue of our choices.\u00a0 It will help to determine if a choice is a valid reason or an excuse.\u00a0 This is the Four Way Test:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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      1. Is it the truth?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
      2. Is it fair to all concerned?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
      3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
      4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        \u201cWhen you’re looking for an excuse, any one will do.\u201d\u00a0 Great leaders are those who stop looking.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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