Most of us have left a meeting or discussion mumbling this to ourselves or a colleague about a deadline, “YHTBKM!” Often, there’s no discussion in spite of the group’s knowledge that the deadline is not realistic.
Deadlines are one of the bigger sources of workplace stress. Employees worry that by asking for a deadline extension, their managers would think they were incompetent and unmotivated. According to studies, managers generally view asking for an extension as a sign of motivation.
Source: Harvard Business Review, April 4, 2019. Link. There are strategies that managers and employees can employ to encourage team members to ask for more time when they need it:
- Tell employees who need more time that they’re not alone
- Communicate that you yourself sometimes ask for deadline extensions
- Clarify whether a deadline is flexible
INSIGHTS: The article reveals the challenges of perceptions versus reality. To the three bulleted strategies above, I would add:
- Clearly review and define the scope of the assignment including how the deliverables are to be returned.