Unmet Expectations

I'm a big believer that deadlines motivate behavior. We are all busy and have great intentions of completing those "nice to do things" on our list. But days turn into weeks and new, time sensitive items get added to our already full days so those "do it sometime" items still stick around undone.

That's what often happens, too, when we ask for a service provider to perform a job without specifically voicing a requirement that the task be completed by a certain date. We think that since we are being nice and accommodating, they will certainly handle our request in a most timely manner. After all, we're flexibly sensitive to their workload. And we're not being demanding, unreasonable jerks, so surely they will want to assist us. Yes, they do want to assist us. But since we are so flexible and all those other demanding customers have been promised specific due dates that must be met, our request lingers longer than we think necessary on the "do it when it's convenient" list.

I've discovered that I can be nice and accommodating but get my needs met by politely negotiating a mutually acceptable due date as the request is made. If my desire to have the project completed in a week isn't possible, I have two options. I can accept the due date that provider is able to fulfill or I can find an alternate provider.

Unvoiced expectations are those that are least likely to be met.