NFIB

How to Get the Job Done Yesterday; Part I
04/ 11/ 2002


Some things really should have been completed and put in the mail yesterday, which, of course, is often difficult to pull off. But when you receive directives from your supervisor to complete a project ASAP, or if your business operations demand that you finish a project as quickly as possible, don't panic. In today's and next week's Workshops, Jeffrey Moses outlines specific steps that can help you finish even complex projects in a short amount time.

First, determine your deadline. Does the project need to be completed in an hour? Two hours? By9:00 a.m.? Before you begin, you should know exactly when you have to be finished. This will help you organize everything you need to do, and focus all activities to accommodate a specific timeline.

If a project's deadline is too daunting, try to push the timeline back -- especially if you can show valid reasons why the job will take extra time. This could improve the quality of the finished product, and the person or company for whom you're preparing the project may not mind if it shows up a day or two later than originally expected. After all, how many times have each of us worked overtime to finish a "rush" project that just sits on someone's desk after completion? If the deadline can't be moved back, however, accept the fact and adjust your activities accordingly.

When an extremely complex project has to be completed" yesterday," remind your superiors that you may have to compromise quality. After all, a 60-page report on a detailed subject simply cannot be as polished in five hours as it could be in 48 hours or longer. No one likes to hear that quality is being compromised, but such a reality has to be a factor in a rush job.

Now, to get started with the project. First, prepare a detailed list of all information you'll need and where you can find it. Do you need to compile specific data, do research or interviews, visit a site, phone, fax or E-mail someone? If various departments or individuals in your organization must supply information, inform them immediately about what you need and when you'll need it. Tell them, in no uncertain terms, that their timely contribution is crucial, and that they have no latitude for tardiness.

If the project is large enough to warrant the help of additional staff, arrange a team to work with you. If you're under a real time crunch, try to recruit people with whom you've worked well before. An important rush project is not the best time to break in new people.

Next, write a detailed outline of everything that you will do or write about in a project. If you're preparing a lengthy report, for instance, jot down in as much detail as possible a step-by-step outline of the report. In such an outline, always let specific key points or conclusions serve as the foundation for each point. These will serve as section headlines, and will give you solid steps upon which to build the entire structure of the project.

Next week's Workshop will give you more tips about how to a job done quickly.

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