Time management - Action chasing
Action chasing
Information
There is nothing more irritating than chasing information that you rely on to complete one of your tasks.
In an ideal world you would be able to request the item for the very last minute and it would turn up but this is pretty much wishful thinking.
- Give yourself some leeway for your own deadline.
- Make sure there is no room for error. Communicate the request in writing.
Clearly state the standard of output needed, the format and the time required and if necessary explain why you need it. - Put a note in your diary that you are expecting the information.
It’s a good idea to put this note in the diary ahead of the deadline as a reminder to check on the progress of the information. This will also prompt the person who is supplying the information as they may well have forgotten. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that all others will be managing their time as well as you. - If the retrieval of information from one person is always late or non existent do something about it.
If it happens to you regularly it will be happening to others. If that individual is on your team they may well need training in management of their own time.
If they work for someone else talk to their manager. This person may not be inefficient but may be under pressure from personal matters for example.
Meetings
If you make an appointment with someone or you arrange a meeting and they do not turn up they are either very forgetful or poorly organised or both. Assuming there was no confusion find out the reason for this absence and deal with it appropriately.
As above, confirm dates in your diary and if necessary get confirmation with the person before the meeting.
Many people don’t respond to ‘if I don’t hear from you I’ll assume that is OK’.
If someone promises to get back to you say, ‘when?’ and note it down in your diary.