Jackie, collaboration really works well. You are wise to develop tactics with someone else who stands when and "singes" come your way. People in the work of path-finding and change often find one or two participants who choose to remain in their "comfort zones," no matter what. By giving yourself the freedom to make choices and at the same time to collaborate with someone in the same field, you have developed a formula to achieve your goals. Do keep us posted.
This is an interesting thread Robyn. I work as an independent consultant now but usually in collaboration with others. I have the freedom and authority in that position to choose who I work with - and it makes sense to collaborate with whom I work well. In a pilot project that I am working on at the moment I have forged a strong relationship with a fellow coach and we are helping each other see when other people's ways of working have the potential to "singe" us. In a real life example of the value of coaching we are recognising that and finding a way to work with it. I expect there might be a post or two coming up as and when this unfolds!
Jackie, many people would tell us that they work best when they work at the deadline because they get a shot of adrenaline. Perhaps raw creativity comes to the fore, but often this kind of work does not have the polish and quality it would have if it had been produced in time for some reflection. The kind of reflection that helps one adjust and change [the product].
If you work under a person who tends to procrastinate, do you see those hot coals singeing everyone as they're tossed around?
Ah now that is a good question Robyn. I would have said that I used to work best when working to a deadline but of course that maybe artificially boosted my energy levels. And in truth I rarely ever needed to work right to the wire. When I did it was because someone else's deadline now impacted on me..passing that hot coal thing....which never feels particularly good!
Laura, thanks so much for your contribution of "finding your happy place." On some days my happy place is writing my blog, and on others it might be a walk through the woods or even through the work of raking all the autumn leaves in the yard.
Would you be willing to share your "happy place" with us, Laura?
Jackie, I like your idea of not doing a project right away. That way your brain can work on the problem for you. You often get an aha at a very unexpected moment and from that point you work with inspiration to finish. I so agree that the trick is not to give yourself too much space because working at the last minute saps true creativity.
Do you sense that procrastination is actually part of the problem that leads us onto that fast paced treadmill?
Karen, somehow I'm finding it's more about living our moments more intently. You certainly help us see that picture.
I'm curious, how will you get your client past setting impossible deadlines?
Robyn,
In four words "Find My Happy Place." When I am faced with moments not quite moving as fast as I hope, I allow my mind to multitask and find peace in the simple things I enjoy. The stress of the moment is not worth reaping the long haul of the effects of stress.
After reading Ellen Weber's cortisol surging effects, I will absolutely be finding that happy place more often. My health = more productivity for causes I care about.
Thanks for a great post!
Laura Hecht
Just caught up with my reading too and realise that there must be something in the wind as I too have been blogging about patience. I have learned in the past couple of years to deliberately hold off from producing something - paperwork, quote whatever for just long enough to not tip into looking like procrastination. In many many cases this space has turned up something extra that I would have missed.
I have been behind in my reading but so glad this post was here today! I often feel alone in my need to establish balance and slow down the pace. As a society we focus so much on doing rather than being. This week I am dealing with a client who has set impossible deadlines and I finally had to say you can have fast or good but not both! I wish we would quit making ourselves crazy with this arbitrary demands that we must accomplish X,Y,Z,X1,Y1 and Z2 today. For me the real sense of accomplishment comes from a day that I have lived not plowed through.
Brad, you really provide an excellent picture of sales folk creating a quote for a product. In this you show that no matter if someone is under the wire immediately or at the end of three days, the stress is similar.
Hmmm... Do you think that most folks put the final quote off till near the deadline rather than working on it daily?
Robyn, The pace of business has increased exponentially in my lifetime. For examole, in the old days, it was perfectly acceptable to deliver a price quotation to a prospect two or three days after a sales presentation. Today, if you can't provide pricing immediately, you are a laggard. However, even in the old days, there were still stress points whenever that three day deadline was coming down to the wire. And busy, productive sales people probably had as many of those stress points as sales people working today in our high tech environment. I've always tried to reduce the tension by staying ahead of deadlines, wherever they fall on the calendar (or stopwatch!). Procrastination is deadly.
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