Avoid Creating Red Flags (Stop Making Excuses)

I hurt my wrist.
It might snow.
I don’t have enough time.
I don’t have a car.
It’s too early.
I have a family emergency (coincidently, every Monday or Friday).
It’s too late.
I don’t know how.
I can’t find it.
I’m too busy.
I’m stuck in traffic.

During the years I was in the staffing industry, the type (and number) of stories I heard about why someone couldn’t make it to an assignment never ceased to amaze me. Some people became so predictable that we wagered bets about their behavior. Winning the bets didn’t really help solve the problems we faced by their not following through, but it allowed us to keep a sense of humor when enduring the stress of replacing them on assignments. In more recent years, I’ve learned that the same excuses spring up when someone is chronically unemployed or when they complain about a failed business venture. It boils down to a familiar recipe: when the same excuses are used for not getting things done or not following through with commitments to others, the result raises a red flag for those adversely affected.

Instead of making excuses for why something can’t happen, consider alternative courses of action that will allow you to leave someone with a good impression. Show someone what you can do and spend less time finding excuses for what you can’t. Think long and hard about the message you send when all anyone hears is why something can’t be accomplished. If you are telling people you are the best at whatever it is you do, then: walk the talk. These tips may be just what you need to turn around a negative image:

Take a deep breath before you speak. If something causes your skin to crawl or blood to boil, take a minute to think through your feelings. If it is sheer resistance to something for the sake of resistance, think again. Consider your goal. Is acting abruptly or ignoring someone when they disturb you more likely to leave someone with an impression that will help you, or will it hinder your progress or professional image?

Find a solution. If someone asks for something today but you are otherwise occupied or not feeling well, avoid the urge to ignore them. Suggest a time that works. Respond in a timely way by saying, “I am previously committed today. Would Tuesday work for you?” If your car is broken, check the bus schedule, look for a carpool or get a cab if it is for something vitally important! Find solutions for issues that can turn out to be only minor obstacles, rather than deal breakers.

Plan ahead. Many times it is the failure to plan for extra time for stressful experiences (tests, funerals, interviews) that prevents you from giving your best attention to other critical business. Over scheduling will almost always lead to adverse circumstances, especially if you end up missing a deadline or, worse, not doing what was expected at all. Allowing enough time (or the right time) to work on a project will give you the best shot at leaving a favorable impression rather than leaving a bad impression by falling short of expectations.

Get to the bottom of your issues. If you find yourself backing away from your responsibilities or continually sabotaging yourself by saying “no” or “can’t,” then find out why. If counseling is needed, get it. If you really do know why you are reacting adversely to things that may be requirements to your achieving your goals, then it might be time to reevaluate your goals. It might be that what you say you want to do doesn’t match what you really want to do or are capable of doing.

The bottom line is that people will believe what they see more than what they hear. Past behavior is indicative of future behavior. So, if you want to be associated with a positive brand, make sure you are representing it well by doing what you say when you say you will do it. When you replace excuses with a can-do attitude and performance to match, you’ll build a reputation for being dependable and getting things done—someone whom people can happily recommend.