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Challenge - Unsee this 😣
Rising Star
Pro
Unless you need it before Monday, I wouldn’t send a note right now, but I would definitely remind her/ask her first thing Monday. “Hey x, how is y coming along? Let me know if you need help.” Normally, she would address the delay in response to this. If she doesn’t, I would add, “My understanding was that I would review this Friday. Let me know if you feel our timelines are too aggressive and we can adjust as needed.”
As someone who struggled with managers who are not straightforward/honest/communicative, the worst thing you could do is leave this expectation unsaid. So if you can nicely state that you were hoping to review the item on Friday and be open to hearing her out in terms of whatever challenge she faced in getting it to you, you’re good!
Enthusiast
LD1 - really though? I think using the terms you chose are not very nice either. I’m using words that are in the vernacular. You are out on a limb.
Enthusiast
Follow up. Say, hey did you get a chance to send those slides through? Didn’t see an email so wanted to make sure. You could even text that message instead if it comes off as more friendly. FFS, this is not the time for her to make a bad first impression. Also there’s a 2.7% chance the email got stuck in her outbox so you could legitimately be helping solve that.
Chief
Just keep your distance PwC3.
Pro
Either way it’s a coaching moment. Is your review priority for the weekend with some early week deadlines? Biggest coaching is communication - if they agreed to send something by eod Friday and haven’t, and also haven’t sent any communication about missing that deadline, that’s the coaching moment. If a deadline becomes a challenge being proactive is critical. If it’s that they’re stuck and not sure how to proceed, status update and asking for guidance where they are hitting a stalling point is ok. We are all human. Then you can address sticking to prioritized items - sending a lower priority item doesn’t cover for the missed deadline. That would make me think it was the easier task, so received more focus than it should for the given time frame.
I would email her. “Hi, I’m checking on the status of xyz’s slides? Let me know if you need my help.”
If she doesn’t respond this weekend (but the item’s priority was understood) then I would make sure to tell her that you are disappointed regardless of her excuse (unless it’s a family emergency then let it slide). Nothing wrong with being straight forward about it (but still maintain that human element). It’ll make your future projects with her easier from a communication standpoint.
In future NEVER allow an EOB deadline. EOB becomes tomorrow too easily. EOB Friday is the absolute worst. Except for EOB Friday before a holiday weekend, like now. Might as well have said "whenever".
Instead use first thing in am, noon, or 3pm the latest, and make sure you get her agreement, including that if she runs into delays she will reach out as early as possible so as not to lose integrity with you.
It may sound like silly micromanaging but it works because you have made a realistic agreement with her in advance that she buys into, understands and knows that if she fails to follow through she will be hurting you.
Enthusiast
OP, For context, you’ve probably wasted more of our collective time on this task than her by now. Not that we mind, but if it’s important for you to ask about it here in FB, it surely should be important for her to do the job or tell you why she hasn’t.
Enthusiast
I’m using it to demonstrate the point that’s it’s important. I said we don’t mind and we clearly don’t. Don’t be so sensitive. Sheesh. ;-)
Worth sending an email. I’ve had my share of emails get stuck in the outlook abyss because I hit sent and closed my laptop too soon. The task may be done but technology may have failed here.
Omg yes this. Happened to me when taking some time off, opened my laptop and a client got it several days later when they were on PTO 🤦♂️
Send her a text “Hey we are still waiting on that deck, could you send it over?”
Don’t do anything more than that. She may have forgotten to send it. If she didn’t complete it I guarantee she will finish it quickly and send it over
It’s good that you talked about priorities but it might seem like there is a lot on her plate so she might just be powering through what needs to be done. Follow up in a nice casual way, that’ll make her comfortable in approaching you more if she can’t reach a deadline.
Try “hey ___, checking in to see how it was going with the slides and when I can expect them by. Let me know if you have any questions or how I can help support you. Thanks so much for doing this.”
She probably is aware of the timeline and should have followed up, but try to analyze the workload she has on her plate, and look at your relationship and how you can better communicate w each other.
try to understand her side of the story on why she couldn’t get it to you on time or if something more urgent came up. Try to understand why she couldn’t tell you that she couldn’t make the deadline and set your expectations as a manager from there. Talk about your management style and how she likes to be managed. Both parties need to adapt to each other.
Chief
“Touching base. I didn’t receive this, and haven’t heard from you on it. Please let me know the status.”
What happened?
Don’t solicit a “promise” unless the person is doing a favor for you that is not in the scope of their role. The control has been misplaced in this scenario. Set deadlines and explain to the team member what the consequences are of missing them are; (threat to project schedules , threat to bottom line, threat to client’s perception of value, strain on impacted resource, etc.) Ensure there is agreement that the deadline is reasonable and clear. Make it clear that across the board you always expect to be notified as soon as they believe they will miss a deadline and that you will need to know the reason, and that some aspect of your in-place plan will have to be rearranged if a deliverable’s deadline is missed. Full transparency, honesty and sincerity about expectations is so important. Establish yourself early as someone who ain’t playin’ when it comes to assignments and deadlines or else you will be battling this issue forever.
This. And be careful in offering to help at this point in time (or offering to offer more leeway with deadlines in the future). Deadlines are deadlines and need to be respected and met, even if some suck. Definitely get a handle on this now; it’ll set the expectation for what’s to come.
Net net, she promised she would have them to you by Friday and didnt. Call or text her this morning to secure them. (And yes, obviously there’s leeway with a fam emergency but she should be notifying you of that immediately regardless.)
Chief
Send an email or call. You agreed upon deadline. Not like it was a surprise.
Probably reiterating what others said - send an email/ text checking on status of her deliverable.
Follow up with a conversation on Monday to understand the reasons for delay and agree upon how how your process needs to change for the future.
Commenting because I want to know what happens
Chief
I don’t want anyone texting me even if I am late on a deliverable. You can email me. Texting is for friends, I don’t text with co workers unless it is an emergency. At my old job my partner would text directors he was friends with and I found that super intrusive.
Enthusiast
@TP 1 Completely agree. I find the mere sound of email notifications stressful and prefer to check periodically on weekends. If someone needs me urgently they know they can text. Also, love a bit of Cher! 💃🏻