Too much information?

I read an excellent post on the Savage Minds blog about college students and the need many of them feel to offer explanations or excuses when they know they have turned in substandard work.  That professor's take was essentially, 'Save the trouble of the explanation, don't admit the work is under par before I have had a chance to look at it, and if it is crap work, get over it and do what it takes to improve for the next assignment'.Flickr - The Kozy Shack

I think that is good advice and wonder if it applies to managers as well. 

As a manager when an employee is late for work, makes some careless mistakes, or otherwise is not really producing to their 'normal' or expected levels, how much do you really want of the backstory?

How much of 'My dog is sick', 'My daughter has a loser boyfriend' or 'I stayed up all night playing World of Warcraft' do you want to hear?

Or would you prefer they just shut up, do their job, and leave the drama for their mama?

Comments

[HR_Minion]

I hate excuses unless they really are extenuating.

[Steve]

Minion - There were lots of other examples I could have come up with, we will have to save them for the 'HR Horror Stories' show!

[Lisa Rosendahl]

Now I am going to have to use your line - save the drama for your mama. I'll give you a report in how well it goes over when I do!

[Steve]

Thanks Lisa, let me know how it turns out! I use the line once in a while on Patrick when he is giving me his excuses too!

[Beth N. Carvin]

I think there is a difference between an academic environment and the workplace. In school, you can choose to perform sub-standard work and in exchange receive crappy grades. In the workplace, sub-standard work is not acceptable.

Therefore, I am not opposed to employees providing reasons for why performance has slipped. If an employee doesn't provide an explanation, it is left to the boss' imagination. Better for the boss to understand the situation so he or she can respond appropriately and help the employee overcome the problem. (Which sometimes involves helping them no longer be burdened by having to come to work at all!)

In school, your poor performance only hurts you. In the workplace, it impacts your colleagues, customers, company revenue, et cetera. If you do mess up, explain why, take responsibility, apologize, outline how you plan to improve and then follow through.

[Steve]

Thanks Beth for your comments. I do agree the academic world is certainly not the same as the working working world, and mostly bad academic performance effects only the individual student. I think that a good manager will attempt to ascertain the causes of bad performance and try to offer help and suggestions for improvement. I think the main point was (or should been) make less excuses, and take more responsibility and own up to the problems that the poor performance causes. Thanks very much for reading and for your comments.

[Beth N. Carvin]

I'm all for less excuses and taking responsibility for your performance!