The struggle to get timely feedback is real.
“Please take a look at the attached and send your feedback and the changes you’d like to see by Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. as the deadline for completion is Monday.”
If you’re someone who creates anything for anyone, then you have very likely sent an email like this…and you may have had to send another on Wednesday afternoon to remind them.
Oh, and then there are those people who you don’t respond to your multiple emails and, instead, send you feedback on Friday at 5:30 pm and expect the changes on Monday.
Bye, bye weekend!
Side note: No one has to work with people like this because there are more amazingly talented leaders and professionals who know when to push their people and understand that any delays could cause delays in the deadline.
If you are in a position of power, it’s not cool to leave people hanging and then expect that they’ll pick up all the slack to make the deadline.
Expecting that your people will do whatever they have to do in order to get the job done, even if it means working 20 hours over the weekend or coming in early or working until 7pm every night, is not only disrespectful, but it’s also cruel.
Let’s be real, if you’re a great leader with a focused, organized and autonomous team, not one of them would need to stay late or spend any additional time on work over the weekend, except in extreme circumstances or by choice (which many choose to do in positive environments).
Good leaders also understand that if their feedback comes 2-3 days late, then the deadline for completion also moves 2-3 days so the team can make the changes needed without taking short cuts.
If you are one of those people who ignores emails because you are too busy to deal with them, but expect them to be available at the drop of a hat to complete the project – you should put someone else in charge who can manage their time better.
I get it, sometimes people get busy, other things get in the way, you have to choose priorities, etc. But, if you seriously cannot reply, even with a, “Hey, thanks, I can’t look at this until Friday.” email, then you shouldn’t be the one giving approval.
You need to hire someone else and give them the authority to make decisions without you or, understand that everyday you’re late is a day that the project will be delayed.
If you are completely dumb-founded when you’re told that it takes 12 weeks to build x, y or z when you want it done in 6 weeks, you’re not doing the business any favours.
People are generally good and want to impress their leader or client. If they say it takes 12 weeks, believe them. Why would they make it up? If it gets done early – bonus!
Rushing a project will only make it “less than” the great product it could have been as the team will have to cut corners and be less creative in times like that.
They’ll just create an MVP (Minimal Viable Product). MVP’s are nothing to write home about. They’re nothing to be proud of. They’re nothing to showcase.
