Question: It’s Friday, the beginning of a four-day holiday weekend, and my boss insists that I complete a report tonight that I know my clients won’t read until Tuesday. This isn’t the first Friday night fire drill. I don’t want my career to go up in flames, but how do I keep from getting burned?
Answer: Oh my! Why so many fire drills? Poor planning, or fear? Your boss may be over his or her head and lack the experience to distinguish between what is immediate and what can wait. S/he may simply not understand the ebb and flow of your client’s engagement. Worst case, your boss may have received a warning or reprimand and fear is igniting the whole group. The immediate result is your holiday plans go up in flames.
It’s up to you to determine if it is a fire drill or a real fire. Begin by stepping back and addressing the following questions:
- What is your relationship with the client?
- What were the follow-up actions that you communicated to the client at the end of the
meeting? Did you include a “by when”? - What is the conversation that you need to have with your boss about planning? Client management? Priorities?
- How often do you drop everything to complete a task? Does your boss value/reward your behavior?
- Do you feel exploited or empowered by the choice you make?
wonder: have you trained your boss to give you last minute edicts? If yes, it is time to break this bad habit and elevate your personal brand. Start asking questions and setting expectations. Clear communication will extinguish the flames.