Want it done? – schedule it!
I was struggling to get updates from my regional project management directors. We had asked each region to submit their monthly written updates by the first week of the following month. Some sites were chronically missing the deadline and there was a lack of consistency across all sites.
Sensing my frustration at having to constantly repeat my (apparently futile) requests to the team to provide their updates consistently, my boss suggested, “If you want something done, schedule it.”
He meant that if updates are needed at a specific time, actually schedule them directly on people's calendars, making the expectation and reminder "automatic" each month, and emphasizing the importance of the updates by turning them into meetings – people tend not to show up empty handed to meetings where they're expected to present.
Scheduling removed a bit of "friction" and created a sense of urgency that resulted in real progress. Amazingly, they didn’t miss any updates after that point!
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