Working with people who don’t take deadlines seriously is very frustrating, especially for someone like a founder or CEO who is very organized and trying to move the business forward by executing on a plan.
Not everyone is a Type A, organized personalty though and certain personality types and cultures just don’t think much about deadlines (I’m looking at your “creative” people). People can work very hard, yet consistently miss deadlines, which can throw off the entire schedule of production and operations.
So how do you deal with those personality types who are more laid back and laissez-faire?
Different styles
First, it’s important to realize everyone has a different way of working that may work for them. It’s tough to get everyone to conform to your style, but deadlines aren’t style specific. It’s not relative.
So secondly and most importantly, ensure there are no misunderstandings. What you consider a deadline may be considered a guideline or suggestion to others. If you’re running a team, make it clear that the due date is a deadline and not just a time when you’ll check in on the team to see how they’re doing.
Communicate expectations
Miscommunication is one of the common reasons people miss deadlines. Record the due date in meeting minutes, a project management system or a follow-up email. Anything that allows you to point back to a record and show there was a deadline.
If a person or team misses a deadline, it’s much easier to hold them accountable if the deadline was clear and written down.
Do you work with people who are terrible at deadlines? I’d love to hear your thoughts below.
