Every leader has been there—you’re conversing with a team member about a missed deadline or a performance issue, and the responses start pouring in. Some sound like excuses, others feel like justifications, a few seem like explanations, and occasionally you hear a clear reason.
"Wait one minute—there’s a difference!"
Yes! In fact, understanding these distinctions is crucial for effective leadership. It allows you to address challenges head-on while fostering accountability, building trust, and promoting growth within your team.
In this blog, we’ll break down the key differences between these terms and explore strategies to help you build stronger, more accountable teams.
1. Excuses: Avoiding Accountability
An excuse deflects responsibility by shifting blame to external factors or circumstances. Team members may use excuses to avoid consequences, often undermining accountability in the process.
Characteristics of Excuses:
Deflects blame on others or external circumstances.
Avoids ownership of actions or outcomes.
Lacks a solution-focused mindset.
Example:
Yesterday, I had a 45-minute call with a new team leader, Kara, who was frustrated by her team’s recent lack of progress on a major project. She shared an example of a team member saying, “I didn’t meet the deadline because the client kept changing their mind.” While there was some truth to this, Kara felt it wasn’t the whole story.
How Leaders Can Respond:
Acknowledge the excuse: “I hear what you’re saying about the client’s changes.”
Redirect to accountability: “What steps could you have taken to manage the shifting requirements more effectively?”
Focus on solutions: “How can we better prepare for similar challenges in the future?”
By gently challenging excuses, you help your team members recognize their agency and take ownership of their contributions to a problem.
2. Explanations: Sharing Context
An explanation provides factual context about why something happened without avoiding accountability. It seeks to clarify the situation and often serves as a starting point for collaborative problem-solving.
Characteristics of Explanations:
Shares relevant, factual details.
Aims for mutual understanding rather than deflection.
Prepares the ground for solutions.
Example:
Kara also mentioned another team member, Jordan, who said, “I didn’t submit the report on time because I needed data from another team member, and they were delayed.” Unlike the previous example, Jordan was transparent about the obstacle and didn’t shift blame unnecessarily.
How Leaders Can Respond:
Acknowledge the explanation: “Thanks for clarifying what happened.”
Seek clarity where needed: “What steps could we take to streamline communication with your colleagues?”
Encourage proactive behavior: “Let’s establish a backup plan for future delays.”
Encouraging explanations helps leaders uncover systemic issues while maintaining a focus on individual accountability.
3. Justifications: Defending Actions
A justification explains why a team member’s actions were reasonable under the circumstances. While justifications don’t deny responsibility, they aim to validate behavior that may have led to a suboptimal outcome.
Characteristics of Justifications:
Accepts responsibility but defends actions as necessary.
Appeals to mitigating circumstances.
Can become habitual if unchecked.
Example:
Kara recalled a team member saying, “I skipped the team meeting because I had to prioritize entering my case notes.” While Kara understood the competing demands, she felt the team was missing out on important collaboration as a result.
How Leaders Can Respond:
Validate when appropriate: “I see why your case notes felt like a priority.”
Reinforce team values: “However, attending meetings is critical for keeping everyone aligned.”
Focus on growth: “How can we plan better so you don’t have to choose between the two in the future?”
Understanding justifications helps leaders balance empathy with accountability, ensuring team values and priorities are upheld.
4. Reasons: Objective Explanations
A reason provides a neutral, factual explanation without seeking to avoid blame or seek validation. It reflects self-awareness and a willingness to address the root cause of an issue.
Characteristics of Reasons:
Neutral and objective.
Demonstrates accountability and self-awareness.
Lays the foundation for future improvement.
Example:
Another of Kara’s team members, Rachel, said, “I underestimated how long the task would take, which is why I missed the deadline.” This honest reflection allowed Kara to work with Rachel on better time management strategies moving forward.
How Leaders Can Respond:
Acknowledge the reason: “Thank you for being upfront about the issue.”
Collaborate on solutions: “Let’s discuss how we can improve time estimation for similar tasks.”
Reinforce proactive behavior: “How can we ensure this doesn’t happen again?”
When leaders model and reward this type of honesty, it sets the tone for a culture of transparency and growth.
Leadership Takeaways: Why These Distinctions Matter
Understanding the difference between excuses, explanations, justifications, and reasons allows you to respond in ways that build trust, accountability, and performance.
Here’s why it matters:
Excuses signal avoidance of responsibility—challenge them to encourage ownership.
Explanations provide context—use them to uncover root causes and build solutions.
Justifications reveal perspectives—validate when appropriate but ensure alignment with team values.
Reasons demonstrate honesty—reinforce this behavior to foster trust and growth.
Practical Strategies for Leaders
Set Clear Expectations: Communicate that while challenges are valid, accountability and proactive solutions are non-negotiable.
Model Accountability: Share your own mistakes and how you’ve learned from them to normalize ownership.
Ask Solution-Focused Questions: Respond with prompts like, “What could you have done differently?” or “How can we prevent this next time?”
Reinforce Neutral Explanations: Praise team members who offer honest reasons and work collaboratively on solutions.
Building a Culture of Accountability
A strong leader minimizes excuses, encourages constructive explanations, and rewards honesty. By doing so, you foster a culture of trust, transparency, and continuous improvement.
When was the last time you encountered an excuse, explanation, justification, or reason? How did you respond? Reflect on your leadership approach and consider implementing these strategies to elevate your team’s accountability and performance.
Want to take this further? Download our cheat sheet addressing excuses, explanations, justifications, and reasons in leadership conversations to keep these tools at your fingertips!
Contact Curtis at Curtis@Speak4MC.com to discuss how our tailored leadership development programs can help you and your team thrive!
Disclaimer
Statements in this blog reflect the author's personal opinions and do not represent any other person, company, or organization. This blog aims to provide general knowledge and raise awareness of tools, techniques, people, and organizations that bring about positive change. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct independent research on the topics discussed.
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