Why do salespeople perform better at quarter’s end? Why do students study more before an exam? Why do we all get more organized right before guests arrive? Because nothing motivates action like a deadline.

Deadlines accelerate progress.

For many, deadlines activate worry, stress and panic. Remember the sleepless night you had in college before submitting a 20-page paper? Or that crazy week at work before a major client kickoff? These situations stress many people out. The result—less patience and escalated tension.

Conversely, some get tunnel vision when pressed with a deadline—becoming extremely focused on achieving the goal while neglecting other priorities. It’s amazing to witness the different effects deadlines have on us.  

Deadlines are easy to hate. But, they can also motivate and ignite action.

Here are a few reasons why I love deadlines:

• They force me to organize and prioritize tasks.
• They teach me to consciously focus on a key milestone and say no to others.
• They produce engaging challenges—challenges are an opportunity to generate value.
• They ignite creative energy which fuels new ideas, approaches, and solutions.
  

On the flip side, I get annoyed when others miss deadlines, and I despise deadlines that everyone knows don’t matter. Note to self: Don’t make shit up!

We, as leaders, have to a do a better job of creating authentic deadlines and helping our team see the bigger picture of a deadline.

95% of all problems stem from a breakdown in communication.

In my recent post, Over Communicate, I suggested you close your next meeting by asking two simple questions:

• What decisions did we make?
• What did we each agree to do, and by when?

Authentic deadlines have a reason and purpose. Don’t assume everyone understands what that is. Your job, as a leader, is to help others understand why.

The high performers I work with share a common habit: They are focused on doing what really matters when it matters. They are driven to get things done because they understand why something is important, and they recognize that their ability to meet a timeline affects other people.

Does your team understand the value of deadlines? If not, what are you doing to help them develop that understanding?

Want help? Schedule an introductory call with an LXU coach.