Sometimes, as people set about to deliver outstanding outcomes, they encounter constraints to quality. On occasion, they can overcome or influence the hurdles they face, but many times the constraints are out of their control. What happens next is the task is completed, and the boss is dissatisfied by the results, and the excuses start flying. Even when excuses are legitimate, they smack of low accountability and weak communication. So stop making excuses! Instead, start communicating smarter. Consider adding a column to your weekly, monthly, or project updates that is called “constraints to quality.” State any constraints in factual terms. Do not state the constraints in a whiney or wimpy manner; simply convey the real facts of the situation. Your boss will appreciate the information, and the realistic picture that you portray.

Many organizations today function in a matrix. In other words, there are silos of people who have different areas of responsibility, yet depend upon others (not in the silo they control) for success. If ever there were people who needed to collaborate in the workplace, it is professionals who work in matrix organizations. So how do they collaborate more effectively? The answer lies in using tools such as working agreements, which enable the exchange of meaningful expectations, and in building trust via consistent, predictable actions.

Remember when U.S. banks were the largest banks in the world? Over that past century American based banks have held a lofty position when world banking giants were listed. Seeing U.S. banks atop the financial industry listings filled the nation with a sense of pride. It appears that those days are gone. The new banking bill will not allow a U.S. bank to hold more than 10% of the nation’s deposits. This will dramatically limit the potential size of U.S. banks. While the size limitation may provide extra safety to the financial system in the United States, it will also truncate U.S. banks from competing (in a free-market manner) on the world stage. By handcuffing large commercial banks, the new banking bill will exacerbate the power shift of the international financial market from the U.S. and Western Europe to Asia. This comes at a time when the U.S. could use all the international cache it can muster.