It is so easy to make excuses when things don't turn out as you planned. How often are you tempted to point the finger of blame? As an executive leadership coach, I have worked with leaders who have gotten in the bad habit of blaming others and are surprised when they don't get the results that they want.
Star leaders never give or listen to excuses. They want results from themselves and others. They hold themselves accountable for their own results, and expect others to do the same. And rather than assign blame, they try to constructively figure out what went wrong and move forward.
There is power in committing to a result or outcome and being willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that outcome. I have found that just the act of committing and being willing to do whatever it takes results in something akin to divine providence. Resources and people fall in to place.
Leaders who are not stars can list all of the reasons that something can't be done. Have you ever been in a meeting when a bold idea is proposed and then instantly shot down?
How can you overcome the excuse trap?
The first step is to recognize whether you have a victim or accountable mindset. If you have excuses running in your head, you likely have a victim mindset. If you typically say to yourself, "okay, this is tough and I/we can do it" you have an accountable mindset.
When you face a tough challenge, take a deep breath, search your brain for evidence of past success, and commit. Star leaders exude a sense of confidence that is contagious.
