Meeting Deadlines at Work

Deadlines are often a crisis-point in working relationships. Poor management skills by a boss may result in the setting of unrealistic deadlines for the employee. What can be done about deadlines which are unrealistic, unfair, or simply unreasonable?

As with many issues in the workplace, the deadline problem is solved by developing a communication strategy with one´s management. Creating such a strategy may seem strange, given that the deadline problem is simply a result of prior communication from one´s superior that is normally quite specific. That is, the deadline is well-defined, in the sense no confusion exists.

But HOW one communicates back a concern about a deadline is precisely the key to solving the problem. Most people are ill at ease communicating such a concern. After all, the quite realistic concern in such a situation is that one´s manager will take offense. The solution? Avoid offending while raising the deadline problem in an effective manner.

It is the tone, timing and substance of the communication which drive its effectiveness. Thus focusing on these three elements enables the employee to achieve success in addressing a deadline problem.