If you ever work for me, and I hear one of the following excuses, you’re fired.
50 Reasons Why We / It / They Can’t Change
1. We’ve never done it before.
2. Nobody else has ever done it.
3. It has never been tried before.
4. We tried it before.
5. Another company/person tried it before.
6. We’ve been doing it this way for 25 years.
7. It won’t work in a small company.
8. It won’t work in a large company.
9. It won’t work in our company.
10. Why change — it’s working OK.
11. The boss will never buy it.
12. It needs further investigation.
13. Our competitors are not doing it.
14. It’s too much trouble to change.
15. Our company is different.
16. The ad department says it can’t be done.
17. Sales department says it can’t be done.
18. The service department won’t like it.
19. The janitor says it can’t be done.
20. It can’t be done.
21. We don’t have the money.
22. We don’t have the personnel.
23. We don’t have the equipment.
24. The union will scream.
25. It’s too visionary.
26. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
27. It’s too radical a change.
28. It’s beyond my responsibility.
29. It’s not my job.
30. We don’t have the time.
31. It will obsolete other procedures.
32. Customers won’t buy it.
33. It’s contrary to policy.
34. It will increase overhead.
35. The employees will never buy it.
36. It’s not our problem.
37. I don’t like it.
38. You’re right, but ….
39. We’re not ready for it.
40. It needs more thought.
41. Management won’t accept it.
42. We can’t take the chance.
43. We’d lose money on it.
44. It takes too long to pay out.
45. We’re doing all right as it is.
46. It needs committee study.
47. Competition won’t like it.
48. It needs sleeping on.
49. It won’t work in this department.
50. It’s impossible.
E.F. Borish
Product Manager
Milwaukee Gear Company
Product Engineering Magazine, July 20, 1959
“its not my job”, that’s one you hear all the time.
“We’ve been doing it this way for 25 years.” Enjoyed that one. This list is the excuse digest.
…rather – agree that this list is a ‘fire-qualifier’! LOL :D
You know what scanning over this list makes me think of? The first professor that walked/talked us through his KILLER program on Friday before WordCamp! He was so cool and I’m sure he would agree with this list, too!
This list was drawn up in 1959. One would think that we would have evolved beyond this resistance to change by now, but alas, some things truly appear to be timeless!
Haha these are typical excuses to not try something new!