Mike -

Actually, your initial reply was right on - a bit blunt, but well put:-)

During my plebe year at the Naval Academy, we had four allowed answers to any order: Yes Sir, No Sir, NO EXCUSE, SIR, and I'll find out Sir.

What that meant was do it or don't do it, but don't give excuses for your actions or lack thereof. Legitimate REASONS spoke for themselves, excuses were just a delaying tactic!

In the business world, if people would take action, do their best, ask for help, try again and quit making excuses, a lot more would get done and a lot of useless emotion avoided.

Re my other response above, upon rethinking the examples, I guess the people were actually happy to stay where they were, or wouldn't exert the energy to change. Still puzzling, but a reality.

Thanks for the plain talk!!

Bob (not the Bob in your example:-))