Make no excuses – put your head down, grit your teeth, just do it

IT is 9.30am Friday and I have to submit this article to the editor by 1pm. Can almost hear the editor asking “why always last minute?”. But I have my excuses. Valid excuses. Normally I write late into Thursday nights but this Thursday was extremely busy for me. Last minute payments to contractors and suppliers, salaries and bonuses to staff and running errands as instructed by my home minister to prepare for our Chinese New Year’s eve family dinner.

Talking about excuses, I have made many in my life and I have heard of many from my team. My favourite excuses are normally from my sales and marketing people. When asked why margins are down, it is always the competitors are slashing prices and we have to match. Current top excuse is the devaluation of the ringgit versus all major currencies. Despite the festive season, the market is very quiet. Nobody is shopping. Consumers are spending less nowadays.