6-3-10 Deadlines

So…. Did you ever miss a deadline? One that was either self-imposed or job-imposed? It feels awful to miss a deadline. I can attest to that --- since I missed my normal post yesterday. My sincere apologies to my regular readers. I hate it that you went out to look for the regular post and it never showed up.

Of course, there is a lesson (or two) for the aspiring executive in all of this….. What should I have done differently?

Well, one thing is to quit imposing deadlines on myself! But being the normal human being that I am, that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. Add to that the fact that many (most?) executives are really Type A people, where self-imposed deadlines are a way of life. For whatever reason, Type A people typically operate better under any type of deadline.

Or I could’ve actually planned ahead --- and had a couple of “pre-done” posts on the computer and ready to go. It is kind of interesting that when I was working, I was the “planner”. I arranged everything in my work life (and my personal life!) to mostly military precision. But since I’ve retired, the urge to have that streamlined arrangement isn’t so strong anymore. I’ve truly learned to say “there’s always tomorrow”. Good for the psyche, bad for my readers!

And finally, I could’ve actually alerted my readers that the post was delayed. In work life, it is imperative that when you are first aware that a deadline will be missed, you have to let your boss or whoever is in charge know. Never, NEVER surprise them with a missed deadline. They must always know what is going on -- good or bad.

Again, I apologize to my regular readers for my tardiness. I only hope that you, as a new or aspiring executive, can find some lesson that will help you in your journey.

Cheers!