Have you ever noticed how everyone has their own version of what being on time means? There are those who think being on time is 20 minutes early, those who are straight up and exactly on time, and then we have those who you know are coming when they show up at your door. Those people usually come prepared with a litany of excuses as to why they are late, or worse, it doesn’t even hit their radar. We have something similar in the business world where everyone has their version of what immediacy represents to them and their company. Oftentimes, it’s a cultural thing. For some reason or another, timeliness, urgency, and effective communication are not a priority 

These same companies may disagree with such a statement, all while the left and the right hand are all over the place and completely out of sync. That’s when excuses become part of internal and external messaging. Whenever you allow excuses to become entrenched in your business culture, you are swimming against the stream of mediocrity. And I’m not talking about operating hyper-anally to where people are uptight and by the book. I’m talking about basic follow-thru and respect for those you align with on the client, partner, and team member front. 

If you are currently in a lead role within an organization that has a propensity for excuses, I would take upon yourself to reset the bar. Cultures very much mirror what matters most to leaders of those organizations. So, if you want to affect change as a leader, then your actions and words must line up 100 percent of the time. Start an accountability, no excuses campaign, and watch how the entire organization morphs into something special. Remember, the key is consistency. Consistent effort will assuredly move you closer to your goals. Where consistent excuses will move you further away. Be the exception and deliver on your commitments, no matter how small they may seem. No excuses!