THIS & THAT
Delivering on promises on time reflects professionalism
Ram was not very happy with his work life. He assumed the present role a year before, after a good deal of investigation into the work culture of the company. He began to look deep into what was preventing him from enjoying his work life- he liked his job profile, his boss was supportive, colleagues were friendly and he had no problem with the policies of the company. But something was missing! After further consideration, he found out the cause- he was not being taken ser
iously by his superiors or colleagues. He realised that he failed to establish trust-based relationships with others. It was this lack of trust and respect that was dampening the quality of his professional life, his success and work relations.
Ram first decided that he would leave the job, but then realised that he should first look at what in him was causing others to take such a stance towards him. Unable to find the cause he sought the help of a professional mentor.
Mr. Dayal, the mentor, after an elaborate discussion with Ram, concluded that the reason was his not keeping his word. Ram was shocked to realise that what he considered trivial had actually become a major roadblock to his success. Mr. Dayal explained the consequences of not keeping the word as losing trust of the other person, creating impression that one is not serious about one’s job, demonstrating that one is not competent enough and raising doubts on one’s integrity.
He also warned him saying that when one doesn’t keep one’s word, the other person would start looking out for more faults.
He then taught Ram on how to ensure that his thoughts, words and actions are harmonised. Here is the summary of his advice:
Think first: Do not nod your head when your boss gives you an impossible deadline. Instead of failing to keep up your word, dare to speak up to let him know, why it is not possible to meet his expectations. Do not worry that your frankness might be perceived as your defiance; your boss would appreciate your pragmatism.
Give word: Consider all the factors that influence your work and identify the potential obstacles in delivering what you promised and the time that would be required to deal with them.
Suggest a little more than minimum time period required to complete the work. And support yourself with statistics that clarify why so much time is needed. Use the right words to express your opinion. Now set your personal deadlines to complete the work. Aim to finish the job well before the deadline. This kind of planning will save you from last minute rushes and manage last minute changes.
Commitment: Do all you can to keep up your word. Once you make a promise, you should direct all your time and efforts to meet it. Plan your schedule appropriately. Do not compromise with anything, be it the output or the schedule, till you reach your goal.
Impressing upon others that you are committed to keeping your word is as important as the commitment itself. So, let others know through your actions and words about the same. Let your boss know how you completed the work despite the obstacles you came across.
In case you fail to meet a promise, apologise to the other person and let him know why you could not meet the deadline.
More importantly indicate when you would be able to deliver. Offer to compensate for your failure.
Delivering your promises on time reflects your professionalism, your focus and commitment. It can thus accelerate your professional success. But make sure that you do not compromise the quality of your work in order to deliver on time.
Ram followed this advice and in a few weeks saw a drastic change in the way people perceived him. His colleagues today see him as one of the most responsible and professional employees and respect him for that.
His boss trusts him and confidently assigns critical tasks to him. Ram is now sure to see himself at a higher level soon.
NITYA SAI SOUMYA
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