Module 4: No Whining, No Excuses

In this part, the implications and consequences of common excuses are examined. You’ll teach your students that the excuse “It’s not my job” communicates that you are not a team player, the statement “you didn’t tell me to” says you have no initiative, the comment “I thought it was good enough” means you don’t pay attention to directions and the excuse “I ran out of supplies” says that you have no planning skills.

Your students will learn that excuses like “I didn’t have enough time” and “don’t blame me, it’s their fault” communicate that you don’t know when to ask for help and that you are not a team player. They will also learn that keeping a messy, unorganized workspace communicates a sloppy work attitude.

In this segment students will see why being a team player is so important, why complainers don’t last long and why it’s always best to help when asked, whether it’s a co-worker or the boss doing the asking. The Stanfield Comedy Players really had fun with this. Your students will see a sampling of seven types of problem workers: the Whiner, the Slacker, the Uncooperative, the Unfocused, the Know-It-All, the Excuse-Maker, and the Undependable, and will learn how to avoid these job-killer behaviors.