Okay let’s face it – there are lots of challenges, for both employees and managers, with this new work-from-home world. But one keeps coming up frequently.

“They gave it to me late.”

“I have no idea why it took them so long.”

“I didn’t have time to review their work before we had to present it.”

“What else could they possibly have been doing instead of this – they knew it was important?”

“How could they not know I needed it before now?”

The answer – because you didn’t tell them.

The fact is, if you didn’t give them a deadline it’s not late.

And the mismatched expectations that result from differences in the understanding of urgency are at the root of a huge percentage of workplace conflicts.

So let’s keep this post short and sweet. If you need the thing by a particular date and time, be sure to share that information with anyone who is going to be involved in getting it done.

Oh, and P.S. – this concept – the accountability that comes from an agreement to follow through, and the ownership that accompanies that accountability – that’s Coaching 101. And if you think you’ve got this concept nailed but suspect you might need a refresher on some of the other basics, re-reading The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier is always a good idea.