High Performance Leadership

Team members will let you down. They're human, flawed, and easily distracted.  When team members do let you down, it does no good to get upset and to take it personally. As much as a high performance leader may influence a team member, the employee's performance is still up to them. They don't need the riot act, they need redirection. Point them back to where they need to be. Guide them gently back toward your expectations. They don't need to get yelled at. But, they don't need to make excuses, either. Accepting excuses is accepting defeat. That's not for you. Nobody cares about excuses -- and there's no reason to accept them, either. -- doug smith

When is No Excuses Day? Every day.  Start tough. Stay tough. Play fair. No excuses. -- doug smith

High performance leaders do not make -- or accept -- excuses. -- doug smith

How many moments does a leader have? How many do YOU have? We don't know, do we? What we do know is that we have this moment, right now. What we do with this moment is done and then over. What we do with this moment is our choice. Let's do something great! High performance leaders set great examples by doing great things in the moments that they have. Right now is the perfect moment. Can you feel it? -- doug smith

When I worked at Whole Foods, my store leader once said to me "We live in the land of no excuses..." Not that I was making excuses, but if you came close enough, Bruce would let you know that no one really cares about your excuses. "No one cares about how hard you tried," Bruce said, "They just want results." High performance leaders produce results. Ever increasing, ever improving results. Results come from action, not excuses. No matter how good that reason is for not doing something, it's still not done. Excuses delay. Action pays. Take action. -- doug smith

Imagine this - you've been expecting someone on your team to complete an important task. The deadline is looming. You're ready for the deliverable at any time, and then...and then they start the list of excuses why they can't complete the task. No fun, right? Not acceptable, true? True for you, and true for others who rely on you as well. Leading for success leaves little room for excuses. When I worked at Whole Foods one of my bosses once said, "we live in the land of no excuses." It was true there then, and it's true here now. Nobody is interested in any excuses. -- Doug Smith

Do you know who cares about excuses? Nobody. And yet, people persist in presenting their ever best excuses. It's a waste of time and breath. Nobody believes excuses anyway, so why not let them go. I had a boss once who said "we live in the land of no excuses." It sounded harsh at the time. It is not harsh. It is correct. Why make excuses? Nobody cares about them OR believes them. Here's what to do instead. Get things done. Lead. Drive forward. Achieve your goals. High performance leaders NEVER make excuses. The very idea irritates them. How about you? -- Doug Smith