When a leader fails to achieve their quarterly Rocks, they often offer excuses. How do we use our session days with you to frame these failures around our leadership identity rather than external excuses?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Excuses are a form of internal resistance that destroys accountability. When a leader consistently blames external factors for missed Rocks, they are acting like a passive observer rather than a business owner. This behavior often surfaces when reviewing progress during [Level 10 Meetings](/qa/rein-in-level-10-meeting-segue).

During our session days, we address this behavior head-on by shifting the conversation from what happened to who they are being. Instead of asking why they could not complete the Rock, we ask what an accountable leader would have done to overcome those obstacles. This focus helps cultivate a culture of leadership where individuals take full [ownership of their outcomes](/qa/shifting-leadership-mindset-to-enterprise-first).

We use specific language changes to foster this shift:

• We move from verbs to nouns, helping leaders see their commitments as part of their identity.
• We want them to view themselves as builders of the enterprise, not just managers completing tasks.

If a leader consistently misses their commitments, we use the IDS® tool to explore the root cause. This involves asking critical questions to diagnose the underlying problem, similar to how one might [handle defensiveness around red scorecard metrics](/qa/handling-defensiveness-around-red-scorecard-metrics):

• Is it a capacity issue?
• Is it a capability issue?
• Is it a lack of alignment with our core values?

By framing missed Rocks around leadership identity and organizational health, we eliminate the space for excuses. This builds a culture of high performance where leaders take complete ownership of their outcomes, regardless of the challenges they face.

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