Excuses Your Boss Is Sick of Hearing

Excuses Your Boss Is Sick of Hearing Years ago I had a week when I welches late to work a few days in a row. Given that I was normally very punctual, I honestly didnt think anyone leidiced. On the third or so day, I came back from lunch and a brand new alarm clock was sitting on my chair. My boss never fessed up, but I had to assume that it was her way of telling me to get it together.While you may have a great working relationship, your supervisor is not your friend. He or she is not here for your excuses about a fake doctors appointment, train delays or morning sickness (or getting sick on a stopped train three days in a row).Maybe you really are in grad school and stayed up too late doing homework, or hit the gym too hard heavy lifting and desperately need a sick day, or you just have a doctor appointment, but you dont need to make excuses. And you especially dont need to fake excuses.Yes, of course, challenges arise out of nowhere and no one can perform at optimal levels all the time, but be sure to think through the way you explain the situation so that it doesnt come off as an attempt to excusebad behavior. Here are five other blame-game excuses that you should nix from your vocabulary.1. It cant be done.Weve all had bosses who ask for the moon and expect it to be delivered the next morning. The issue here is not the unreasonable ask its how you approach the request. If the expected results are truly not possible, then do some due diligence to determine the most palatable alternative. Figure out a new solution before presenting your thoughts, so that you can say, Unfortunately, X plan is not available given Y but Ive come up with a work-around that involves ZGiving up is never the answer and wont score you any professional development points. Do research, ask for help, but dont just admit defeat. If you want to succeed in your company and career (and life), you need to become a problem solver. Know what you dont know and then get those answers.2. My direc t report/colleague is not delivering.You are the manager of this particular project. Although it may be true that someone elses negligence is derailing your work, that fact is basically irrelevant in your supervisors eyes. The potential for success or failure still lies with you. At the onset of any project, you need to allocate assignments according to individual skillsets, inclinations and availability. Good project managers know that they may need to reassess their resources to ensure delivery.Blaming someone else doesnt detract from your fault in the situation. In fact, it usually has theopposite effect.3. I have too much work.This can be a tricky one because, while productivity is important,yourquantity of outputshould neverimpinge on the of quality results. Also, self-care is incredibly important in our overworked culture, and you want to be sure topreempt burn out. That said, you are responsible for managing your work flow and delegating accordingly. Prioritization is vital i n the workplace. In a thriving company, everyone has too much work.If you are consistently working beyond your capacity, then be sure to thoroughly document your accomplishments and request a meeting with your boss. Review the expectations for your role so that both you and your boss can manage them appropriately.4. I will try my best.This sounds like a positive statement, but really its a negative one. How confident is your supervisor going to be in your abilities if youre onlytryingto get the project done? There are no points for participation in the workplace Be bold andbe confident. State what you need in order to actually accomplish the desired results.Dont hinder yourself by creating space for failure. While its inevitable at times and offers amazing learning opportunities, lead every project with the assumption of success.5. I couldnt meet the deadline.This is similar to the first excuse but more specific to timing. Often deadlines are arbitrary and extreme and almost a set u p for failure. If you find this to be the case, say it before you take on the assignment, not after the deadline has already passed. You are going to be much better off, both immediately and in the future, if your boss understands that you are strong enough to stick up for yourself.Of course, there are always situations where you are held to this impossible timeline even after you provide a thorough explanation of its improbability and all the alternative approaches. In those instances, documentation helps so that you can point to your analysis without any need for an excuse.--ElanaKonstant is a career coach and consultant focusing on professional women in career transition. A former lawyer, she founded Konstant Change Coaching to empower women to create the career they want. Change is good.Elanawill help you find out why. Her career advice has been featured onGlamour.com, PopSugar, Motherly and other outlets. You can learn more by visiting her website,konstantchangecoaching.com.