Years ago, when I was working at Mercy Hospital in Janesville, Wisconsin, a request was made of me. I put other items to the side to make it happen. Later I found out the request was not urgent. I had let other items slide that were more important. How could I have prevented this from taking place? By asking the person making the request about its timeline and relative importance.
It sounds simple and obvious, but many people forget to do it. I am one of them. After the learning experience at Mercy, I made sure to bake the “get clarity first” practice into other organizations I was part of. Yet I slowly drifted away from it. Recently, in an educational session, I was reminded of its importance.
When we ask those simple questions at the beginning of a project—What is the timeline? and Where does this fall in the lineup of my other responsibilities?—we can save ourselves a lot of anxiety. It helps us make sure more important things aren’t being left undone. It can also save rework caused by “jumping the gun” and starting a project whose details haven’t been fully hammered out.
It would be great if leaders automatically communicated this context. Realistically, it doesn’t always happen. Leaders are busy and can get distracted. It is best if employees own the job of working as efficiently as possible. Assume the communication ball is always in your court.
A few recommendations:
These are just a few seemingly small habits that make a huge difference in your performance and how you experience your job. They help you get things done more efficiently with less frustration. It feels better to work this way, it helps your leader meet their goals, and it sets you up to be successful.
Quint Studer is the author of 16 books on leadership in the workplace and the community. His book Building a Vibrant Community is a valuable resource for civic leaders, business owners, and all citizens who have a stake in building a community they can be proud to call home. In Sundays with Quint, he shares a selection of his popular leadership columns for leaders, employees, and business owners in all industries. He can be reached at Quint@QuintStuder.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Getting clarity at the start of a project saves a lot of hassle later | Studer
Reporting by Quint Studer / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
