I Hate Relying on People
I went for a walk recently with a good friend, and in the midst of her sharing about projects at work, she declared, “I hate relying on people.” Sadly, this is not the first time I have heard her share that sentiment. It is not the first time her work was dramatically impacted by the lack of action of others.
How would you feel if you knew someone was describing their interactions with you with those words? It is something to consider. Do people think the following about you:
When they tell me they are going to do something, it is as good as done.
I know they will do it right the first time.
If they can’t meet a deadline, I know about it way in advance.
They don’t make excuses for areas they are responsible for.
I can do my job effectively because I can rely on their inputs.
I like working with them.
If you are not sure, it might be time to ask for some feedback from those with whom you work collaboratively. If that feedback suggests areas for improvement - or you already know you need improvement based on your own self-reflection - consider the following:
Do your personal time management practices allow you to document and track promises you make to others? If you provide or agree to a due date, have you given some thought to when and how you will achieve the tasks? Will you designate enough time to complete the work, leaving time to deal with any problems that may come up?
Are you proactive in your communication? If you are encountering problems or dealing with multiple priority issues, do you let the person know the obstacles you are encountering? Are you negotiating alternative deadlines or asking for help where it can be provided?
Do you say no when requests come in that are not achievable? So many of us work on collaborative projects, and we cannot expect those making requests of us to know what else is on our plate. If something is not doable, it is better to say so in advance rather than promising something you cannot achieve.
Are you doing your best work? Will it meet the quality standards of whatever project you are engaged in? Is what you hand in going to necessitate lots of rework? If the work is sub-par, you are not really meeting a deadline.
Are you easy to work with? I don’t know too many people who aren’t overwhelmed in their jobs. Be pleasant. Be helpful. Be polite. Be responsive.
On the flip side, if you are the person making a request of others, consider that you have an important role to play, too.
Provide context for the work. How does the request contribute to a larger effort? In what ways will it be used? How does it connect to a deadline or a project plan?
Do not assume that your work is more important than other work they are doing. Unless you are the person’s boss, you should be making a request, not declaring your demands.
Offer and be available to guide or provide feedback. Your directions likely make plenty of sense to you. That may not be the case for the person you are requesting to do the work.
If it’s important to you, stay on top of it. Don’t wait for a day before a deadline to check in. Whether it is asking for a status update or reaching out with an offer of support, take accountability for the fact that you are the person who is in need of the work you have asked them to do. Over time, you will learn that more frequent check-ins are required of some people more so than others. Adjust accordingly.
Leave wiggle room in deadlines. What if someone gets the flu? Did you allow time for the project to expand at all? If not, perhaps you didn’t make the request soon enough. If that wasn’t possible due to other factors, return to number one - what is the context for this work?
Whether we are delegating work or accepting a project owned by others, we have an important role to play. Each choice we make in that collaborative work helps to define our professional reputation and may be the difference between a successful or unsuccessful project. Choose wisely.
