Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

People differ in work styles. Failing to admit such is failure. Let’s discuss our difference and work.

We turn in products on schedule, sometimes literally at the last hour. Well, what’s the problem? The products are on time.

And many are fine with that. If you finish ahead of time, you show that you don’t have enough work to do, so the customer will reduce your resources so that you have to push hard to make it at the last minute.

But, being ahead is a good thing. It shows decisiveness and action and competence. And you have the surplus resources to surge for the unexpected, and if the current virus situation doesn’t show that unexpected happens, what will?

Regardless, we … could go on forever with “ands,” “buts,” “regardless,” etc.

Perhaps we could speak directly, clearly, and congruently.

I finished my part of the product four days ago. I am troubled by you delaying the final step until the last hour. Errors appear at the last hour, and we don’t have time to correct them because it is the last hour.

I want to think about this. I appreciate you finishing days early. I saw your product, and I am thinking about my part. The final quality is acceptable to our customer, even though it isn’t acceptable to you.

Let’s stop the other stuff and speak as adults.