How Did We Get So Unreliable?

About 20 years ago, I took a business assignment that entailed extensive international travel and work.?Much of my work was throughout Latin America all the way from the southern cone of South America up through the Caribbean and throughout Mexico.

These experiences in many different countries amplified my appreciation for the magnificent diversity of peoples, cultures and traditions across the globe.?When you spend months on end in places other than your home country you learn quickly that there are many different ways of getting work done and of living in general -- some better, some not so much.

Mexico Memories

A few weeks ago, I returned to Mexico after an absence of many years.?My previous business assignment had given me deep access to this amazing country, and my love for the rich cultures throughout Mexico remained undiminished over the years.

My recent trip there reminded me of one of the times I was in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon with my colleague, Roberto.?After dinner one evening in Monterrey, Roberto told me he might be late to the office the next morning.?He explained that his plumbing had been broken for weeks, and he had a long-awaited repair scheduled for the next day. ?

But what Roberto said next was what I remember most:?He said, “Last week the repair guy said he would be at my house Thursday morning at 9:00, but in this town that could mean just about anything.?He might come tomorrow, he might come the next day or the next week, or maybe never.?You just don’t know.”

Fast Forward

I’ve been thinking about Roberto’s statement often these past few months.?Lately, I’ve had similar reliability related issues such as:

• Packages that were mailed and never arrived at their destination
• Orders that were paid for but were never fulfilled
• Promises to make repair estimates that never came
• Phone calls and emails that were never returned
• Two contracts on the sale of a home that were broken days after signature
• Horrific quality and customer service issues related to the purchase of a camper van

Rewind to Old Time

If you followed my previous series of articles on Wellbeing at Work, you might recall that my ancestors were primarily cattle ranchers.?I previously wrote about my how much my grandfather’s word meant in his small town back when a handshake really did in fact mean more than a contract.

Old Time, Past Time, Ancient History or whatever, part of the historical success of American business has been reliability — this simple but powerful knowledge that companies and people would do what they said they were going to do.

“Reasons”…But Actually Just Baloney

Over the past two years, we’ve adopted two universal excuses to explain what is often just ineptitude or laziness:

1. COVID
2. Supply Chain

We’ve come to believe that all we need to do is utter one of these phrases — “COVID problems” or “supply chain issues” and it will explain-away any problem, delay, miss or f—k-up of any sort.

Stop With the Excuses

Folks, it’s time to stop the nonsense.?Whatever is left of the pandemic is something we’re gonna live with for a long time, so we must get on with life & business in spite of any new or continuing COVID challenges.?Similarly, American business innovation has had time to solve supply chain issues by now. ?

Indeed, rather than using COVID and/or supply chain as excuses, smart businesses are seeing them as business opportunities to create competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Next time you hear someone use COVID or supply chain as an excuse, call BS, and encourage them to get back to doing the right thing.