Deadlines: Paralyzing or Energizing?

The U.S. Congress is facing a looming deadline that has serious economic consequences. We are up against the debt ceiling, and if they can’t agree on and ratify a viable plan by August 2nd, we will default on our debt. It remains to be seen how this challenge will be addressed, and whether the political issues can be put aside for the good of our country and its people.

We all face deadlines in our lives. They may be as simple as paying our utility bills or filing our taxes by April 15th. Many are more complex, such as finishing a big project at work that has hundreds of moving parts. Some people react to deadlines in a positive way, and others fight against them all the way.

You may be motivated by deadlines, finding energy and focus in the challenge. This is a healthy reaction to the stress imposed by a due date. Good for you!

But for some, facing a deadline can have an unfortunate paralyzing effect that is counterproductive. That reaction comes from being in a state of panic. Symptoms are avoidance of the work, a tendency to toil aimlessly on manageable tasks that don’t really contribute to the main goal, wasting time trying to move the deadline, or some form of howling at the moon, “Why me? What am I going to do?!” In this case, it’s critical to stop wasting time and energy.

• First, validate your deadline. Is it self-imposed and somewhat arbitrary? If imposed by someone else, find out whether it’s absolute, or can be changed without meaningful consequences.
• If you are in a serious time crunch, boil down your goal to a realistic absolute minimum. What can you do that meets the specific requirements without adding a bunch of bells and whistles?
• Ask for help, if without assistance you will miss the deadline. Be sure you can articulate exactly what type of help you need.
• Work with people, not against them. You can’t afford to allow office politics to get in your way.
• Keep your boss apprised of your progress, so they know if they need to step in.

Meeting a hard deadline may require the investment of extra hours or days of work. You can push through the challenge if you believe it’s important and the finish line is in sight. (Sure hope our politicians can do the same.)

A Little Stress Can Be Good

Stress often gets a bad rap. “I’m so stressed out” or “My job is so stressful” are common complaints heard when the going gets tough at work. There’s no doubt that the wrong kind of stress, or too much, can be really bad for our performance and health. It can affect how well we sleep, cause us to eat poorly, and result in a lack of focus. But a little stress isn’t a bad thing, and some stress can be managed to our benefit.

A little stress creates urgency; an important ingredient in the workplace that is often sorely lacking. It can sharpen our focus on priorities and boost energy. Appropriate levels of stress and urgency can motivate us to perform more efficiently, at the peak of our capability. An element of excitement and a dash of adrenaline are added to the workplace.

Stress can be destructive, or can result in creativity. Either can be inflicted or gifted upon us by a boss or by ourselves. Whether we suffer or make something good from it is often within our own control. Receiving criticism from a boss can be upsetting, but we can either communicate and respond in a constructive way, or create unnecessary stress for ourselves by overanalyzing the issue or by being too defensive. Notification of an aggressive deadline for an important assignment can be worrisome, but it also creates intense focus, brings a team together, and provides satisfaction and an opportunity to celebrate victory once the goal is achieved.

To convert “stress” into positive action, analyze what about the situation is bothering you. If faced with complicated assignment – break it into manageable steps. When you don’t know how to do something – ask for more guidance or help from an experienced co-worker. If you’re worried about whether your work is appreciated – talk frankly with your boss. Feeling overworked? – prioritize your tasks and focus on what’s really important. When tired – use your free time wisely, getting more relaxation and sleep. Most importantly, if you are stressing about something completely beyond your control – let go of it.

Facing any sort of challenge causes some degree of stress, and individuals respond differently. Take time to analyze the source of your stress and turn it into positive energy and heightened performance.

Motivating Others is Tricky Business

All managers have occasionally struggled with how to get the maximum effort out of their team. What drives people to perform productively? Conversely, what de-motivates them and keeps them from doing their best?

Motivating others is tricky business, because people’s motivations are very personal. To reach your team in a way that will enhance their self-motivation, you need to know them well. There’s no simple answer. Some people are simply motivated by money. Most others needs are more complex. Many appreciate public recognition. Tangible accomplishments in themselves are motivation for goal-oriented people. Those who treasure their ability to make a difference find motivation in having their suggestions considered and their ideas implemented. There are those who are so self-motivated that all management needs to do is be careful not to inadvertently de-motivate them. Everyone wants to be recognized as an individual and treated with respect.

A DOZEN THINGS TO DO IF YOU WANT THE MOST FROM YOUR TEAM

1. Know all your team members by name, and know what they do. As often as possible, thank them in a specific way for their contributions.
2. Be aware of people’s personal struggles. You probably don’t need to be involved, but you may need to offer a word of encouragement, or make the occasional special concession to help them get through a tough time.
3. When you need to rally the troops, leave your cheerleading pom-pom’s at home. Appeal to their professional pride, honestly explain the issue in terms to which they will relate, and ask sincerely for their help.
4. Show your team by your actions that you are working with them (not just waving a whip at them).
5. Motivation through fear is counterproductive, but occasionally you may have to kick some butt to get things moving with urgency.
6. Give individuals public credit for team successes, and for work they do that makes you successful. Do not accept credit personally for work done by others.
7. Give people opportunities to grow. Mentor them, and open the budget purse strings for training activities.
8. Provide constant feedback. An annual performance review isn’t enough. Even if you have to raise issues, providing constructive feedback and improvement opportunities will be appreciated in the long term.
9. Explain tasks and priorities to everyone, so they know how what they do contributes to big picture strategy and goals.
10. Celebrate team victories. This may be solving a tough problem, completing a project, coming up with an innovative idea, or just getting through a challenging year.
11. Clear obstacles from your team’s path, so they can move with speed. This may include obtaining management support, diffusing company politics, securing funding, or providing tools and resources to accomplish tasks.
12. Introduce a little fun and lightheartedness into your environment. Work doesn’t always have to be so serious.