Set Your Urgency Level on Facts
My title was Director of Project Managment. My job was to make sure that the clientââ¬â¢s needs were met as product was built. I was also responsible for strategy, budget, schedule, and all project issues.
My production manager was a bit of a pain. He was young. He was focused on personal recognition. He wanted to be KING.
I was no piece of cake either. I was young. I had no aspirations for territory, but I was focused on being SUPER MANAGER, DOER OF THE IMPOSSIBLE.
One day the production manager, Larry, stopped by my office. He said that he needed a particular something by 2 p.m. tomorrow, because it was due to the printer. I had about 800,972 other priorities that were equally urgent, but being SUPER MANAGER, DOER OF THE IMPOSSIBLE, I agreed to the deadline. I could find a few minutes between 2 and 3 a.m. when I might fit in reviewing it. Then I would have to send it over to be corrected and proofed. Then I would get it back again in time to check it before I handed it off to Larry. It could be done, but it would take keeping a close eye on.
I made it happen. In fact, I got it to Larryââ¬â¢s desk at 1p.m. He wasnââ¬â¢t there. I asked the woman at the next desk when Larry was due back from lunch. She said, ââ¬ÅOh, he left at 11 and heââ¬â¢s not coming back until Monday. Heââ¬â¢s on vacationââ¬âextra long weekend. Didnââ¬â¢t he tell you?ââ¬Â
I couldnââ¬â¢t believe it! He told me he desparately needed it by 2p.m., and then he was gone!. In that split second, I made my mind up never to blindly buy into someone elseââ¬â¢s sense of urgency again.
What to Do When Someone Is Urgent
These days when someone says, ââ¬ÅI need this by . . . ,ââ¬Â I follow a set 3-step routine.
- I pick up a pencil and prepare to write.
- Then I ask, ââ¬ÅWhen will you actually be able to work on this again?ââ¬Â That always makes the person stop to consider the date Iââ¬â¢ve just been given. The usual response is something like, ââ¬ÅWell, now that you mention it, . . .ââ¬Â
- At the point a new date is offered, I write down that date, the project, and the person’s name in very large handwriting, so the person sees me doing it. No words are necessary.
Just three simple steps help me find where to place my own sense of urgency so that I know when I’m urgent I am urgently moving things that will keep on moving.
I don’t get frustrated anymore by a false sense of urgency. Oh yeah and I gave up trying to be SUPER MANAGER, DOER OF THE IMPOSSIBLE in favor of trying to be MANAGER WITH A HEART WHO BELIEVES IN QUALITY a year or two after that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.
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Business Rule 7: Sound Bytes, Stories, and Analogies
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Mike says
April 26, 2007 at 12:17 PMLiz,
I’m going to write that down and tape it to my computer monitor! Classic strategem, Liz. I especially like the staging and prop work. Apparently I have some experience design things to learn from you.
Mike
Dave says
April 26, 2007 at 12:18 PMLiz, when did you say that deadline was again? 😆
ME Strauss says
April 26, 2007 at 12:21 PMHi Mike,
What’s that they say about actions speaking louder. . . . People pay attention to their name when it is written down. I know I do. 🙂
Funny, I think of it as choreography. 🙂
ME Strauss says
April 26, 2007 at 6:40 PMPS Mike!
Be sure not to tape it on the front of your computers’ screen! 🙂
Thanks for the experience design piece you sent my way. Now am uncomplicated and find it much simpler when it comes to figuring out how to solve complex capers.
ME Strauss says
April 26, 2007 at 6:42 PMHey Dave,
Did I say deadline. Oh yes the deadline! I would be ready to use your next version of what we talked about yesterday or by Monday of next week. 🙂
I thought you red line and my mind got on the wrong track . . . 🙂
Michael Schaffner says
April 27, 2007 at 7:20 AMLiz,
A few days ago I posted an article about breaking the habit of constantly checking your BlackBerry for emails and said it was a matter of priorities. In this I related a story about John Connally.
“Early in my career I worked at Lone Star Steel when W. Howard Beasley was CEO. I always recall Howard relating a story from early in his career when he was an assistant to Treasury Secretary John Connally. Keep in mind as I relate this story that Connally is one of those larger-than-life Texans. Beasley and Connally were out golfing one weekend when a Secret Service agent came running up to Connally and breathlessly announced that the Commerce Secretary wanted him to call immediately, it “was an emergency”. Connally politely thanked the Secret Service agent and then calmly went back to his golf game. Perplexed, the Secret Service agent said, “Mr. Secretary, you don’t understand – it’s an emergency.” At this point Connally turned to the agent and replied (I don’t know how to type with a Texas accent so please use your imagination), “Son, I’m afraid you’re the one that doesn’t understand – it’s not my emergency.” and then went back to his golf game.”
The lesson for me was – you’ve got to get your priorities straight.
ME Strauss says
April 27, 2007 at 7:30 AMHi Michael!
Great story about perspective. We do so easily buy into what others call an emergency, don’t we?
I was just talking yesterday about how getting old helps us determine how to deal with decisions — that there’s rarely one that at that point we haven’t faced before. Mr. Connally had been in this place many times I bet and chosen to do the other response.
There are so many lessons in this story.
>Let them handle their own problem. They learn that way is another one.
Great story. Thank you Micael. Made my morning!
Sue Olson says
May 30, 2007 at 4:28 PMArtificial Urgency is what I’ve titled that in my previous life with clients. I also had something at my desk that said “poor planning on your part does not constitute and emergency on mine” – really that was there to make me feel better because it was my job to respond to client emergencies – with a smile:)
Come to think of it myhusband had artificial urgency this morning brought on by simply FEELING that it was later than it was – the word stressful comes to mind!
ME Strauss says
May 30, 2007 at 10:00 PMAh yes! The urgency of others can make everyone around them stressful. Then when it’s over, often the force that caused it has no idea. I’ve been there. 🙂