Isn’t Tomorrow Soon Enough?

Why do I feel like I have to deliver what people are asking for immediately. Or at least EOD?

Isn’t tomorrow soon enough?

Why the hamster wheel?

Why the feeling that immediate is the standard? On demand preferred.

Have I set that expectation? Has it been imposed on me, and I’ve done nothing to reset it.

Should I not be able to expect the world to not engage me at the last minute and expect a miracle to serve them at their whim? Especially when virtually no one gives immediate satisfaction in return when I need it.

Have I just negotiated against myself. I mean I do ask, when do you need it? The response is often, when can you get it done? The answer should have much more time assigned to it. Like I will have to get back to you once I look at the calendar, and I will put it in my proposal. That’s a legitimate answer. No likes it though, you can tell easily in their tone voice, word choice in email, and body language or eye signals if you are in front of them for a chance.

Do you feel this way? Do you operate and deliver this way and feel exhausted by it?

Do you hold a level of formal power that you can expect immediate, because of title and influence?

Rapid response is a trait and a super power many have. It’s their brand promise, or they try to make it such. Many thrive on it and do well.

Others do it out of a sense of fear. Fear they won’t get the sale. Fear the competition will seize on those opportunities, they ask for time to respond to.

Quick does not mean it’s going to be done well. It just means your told they will do it quick.

Think about your response time and/or your acceptance of what someone tells you. Is it realistic? Will you actually get what you need, or just something?

For those expecting quick response for everything, try getting your shit together and operating on a schedule for a change. Stop hedging over a few bucks and actually plan what you need, and pay for the time, so you have the time to get it tomorrow, versus being so hard in a corner that you have to expect it today.

Are you afraid to give someone a real date you could live with? Afraid if you give an inch they take a mile? Afraid that you will appear “soft” and too flexible.

For those super hero’s that are always in QRF mode. Risk telling them, tomorrow, or even next week or month, so you can actually do a good job.

Why is that we expect each other to fix the others lack of managment? Sure things happen and we really need it quick to be successful at times.

And we all want to surround ourselves with those who will help us succeed.

Might the real issue be that we all have a hard time defining success? Is success really being, as I used to hear in the Army [the Quick or the Dead]? Is First really better than right (correct) or well done? Is quick just a figment of our imagination because we don’t really understand what is a reasonable period of time? After all, we cannot be experts in everything, so we need help. If we aren’t an expert, why would we expect what we need can be done in a constant new track record?

Something to think about for those needing stuff and those delivering it.

Take the time to really assess what you need, when you need it, when you should reasonably expect to receive it, and what you can do to adjust plans when the world does not beckon the call for everything.

This last part goes both ways, and it’s not a rant at either side. We’ve all gotten a bit unreasonable with each other and ourselves.