Even the best laid plans of mice and men sometimes go awry but however they turn out we have to take responsibility for our actions, our results, the outcomes we generate.
If we do, then our words come across as reasons, but if we don’t, although the words we use may be very similar, they will sound like excuses.
Even if we put an apology on the front end, the excuse focuses on the avoidance of responsibility and seeks to blame other people, other events and circumstances.
Here’s an example from ordinary life:
Apology+Excuse - Sorry I’m late, the bus was running early so I missed it!
Apology+Reason - Sorry I’m late, I missed the bus - I should have been at the bus stop earlier!
Now recollect a real work situation where you made an excuse and think about how you could have re-expressed it as a reason. Time for reflection!
#careermanagement #interviewskills #careerguidance #personaldevelopment #attitude
