Working Smarter

1. Saying "NO": Being selective is self-protective
2. Dealing with deadlines
3. Peer pressure and corporate culture
4. It's time to speak up
5. Stop multi-tasking and start multi-plexing

Take me back to the Resource Centre index

An author told me this interesting story. His book was nearing completion and he was casting around for endorsement quotes for the cover. He was given a deadline to obtain these quotes, but was having trouble getting suitable material. The deadline got closer. His publisher kept calling. He got one excellent testimonial, which took some of the heat off, but they needed one more and he was running out of time and luck.

Then something interesting happened. A best-selling author agreed to review his manuscript and, maybe, endorse the book.

Suddenly, the deadline wasn't so rigid - in fact, it was extended by more than a week. Magically, they were able to find an extra 10 days in their printing schedule! When publishers can say "Stop the presses" it gives us a message that deadlines may be more flexible than we thought.

Most of us find deadlines a source of pressure, even intimidation. But most deadlines are arbitrary. I find it fascinating that they hold such power over us. One reason might be contained in the word itself. Webster's Dictionary tells us it was originally a military term: "A line drawn around a prison, to cross which involves for a prisoner the liability of being instantly shot. Hence, a fixed limit, beyond which disaster is imminent." If that doesn't scare you, you're made of tougher stuff than I am.

Apparently, the word was coined during the American Civil War. Soldiers were on the move, so there were no jails in which to put prisoners. The custom was to assemble prisoners in one place and to draw a line on the ground to mark the perimeter of the detainment area. The captives were told if they stayed within the designated area they would be protected, but if they crossed over the "dead" line, they would be fired upon. This was serious stuff.

The word was later borrowed by the publishing industry, as noted in Webster's: "The hour at which the printing forms of a newspaper are locked, after which no copy can be inserted. Hence, the time set as a limit for completion of any operation. The latest time by which something must be done." Doesn't that sound almost benevolent compared to the military usage? The point is that we seem to think of deadlines as if they still hold potentially fatal consequences for us if they aren't met. I think it's time to tone down the language and to rethink the concept in general.

Here are some guidelines to help us deal with deadlines.

1. Use more moderate language. I prefer phrases such as: "time frame," "time limit," or "target date" in preference to the ominous "deadline."
2. Don't accept or promise what you can't deliver. Communicate your concerns and negotiate a time that is realistic. If you are unsure whether you can meet a target date, accept the work only on condition and express your reservation.
3. Only set or accept realistic time frames - and then add a cushion. Don't try to cut your schedule too fine. Leave yourself room for interruptions and unforeseen events like computer glitches.
4. Plan ahead. Organize. Break the task into component parts with time frames for each.
5. Start early. Don't procrastinate.
6. Work smart, not hard. Be strategic and efficient. Avoid perfectionism.
7. Work when you're fresh, not when you're tired. Take timeouts.
8. Avoid distractions. Stay "on task."
9. Delegate and ask for additional resources if needed.
10. If you're running behind schedule, inform people as soon as possible. Brainstorm alternatives with them such as:

* Getting extra help.
* Relieving you of other duties.
* Scaling back the scope of the project.
* Reprioritizing the task to find out which elements are essential and which can wait.
* Determining what is the preferred delivery date and what is the real point of no return. Then keep them up-to-date with regular progress reports.

Deadlines are almost always more flexible than we think. I've seen theatre performances start late because an important people are not yet in their seat; and I've recently been on planes where the departure was delayed because of late-boarding passengers. Even the Middle East peace process looks like it will have to be extended beyond the original September 13, 2000 deadline that was set long ago.

Obviously, we need time limits and target dates to keep things in order, but we need to stop living as if these deadlines were literal swords hanging over our heads. And in the case of my author friend, the delay was certainly worth the wait. He got a glowing endorsement from the celebrity which helped to launch his new book. Everyone was happy that the deadline wasn't as firm and fixed as had first been stated.

All material copyrighted, David B. Posen M.D.