Tips for Navigating Workplace Deadlines

In the fast-paced world of business, requests from senior managers can often appear as non-negotiable demands. Understanding the underlying request can transform how we respond and lead to more effective outcomes. Consider this common scenario: Your CEO casually mentions, “I need the project update presentation by Monday.” At first glance, this sounds like a firm deadline. However, this could be an opportunity for negotiation rather than a strict command. How to Navigate: Clarify the Need Start by understanding the urgency, importance, and significance of the request. For example, you might say, “I understand the presentation is important. Could you share more about what will be discussed? This context will help me prioritize the most critical information.” Assess Your Capacity Evaluate your current commitments. If the timeline is tight due to other priorities, communicate this. For example, “I’m currently wrapping up the quarterly budget review, which is also due Monday. Would it be possible to have an extra day for the presentation to ensure all data is accurately captured?” Propose Alternatives If the original deadline is not flexible, suggest alternatives that meet the need without compromising the quality of work. “If the full presentation can’t be delayed, I could provide a summary of key points by Monday and follow up with a detailed report by Wednesday.” Confirm Agreement and Shared Understanding Ensure you and your CEO are on the same page. “To summarize, I will provide a summary by Monday and the full presentation by Wednesday. Does that work with your schedule?” This approach shows your proactive engagement and respects the executive’s needs while managing your workload effectively. It’s about finding a middle ground that benefits both parties, turning top-down demands into collaborative, negotiable requests. Remember, every executive demand is an opportunity to showcase your strategic thinking and negotiation skills. Don’t shy away from these conversations; they are your chance to lead effectively. #ExecutivePresence #Negotation #TimeManagement #ExecutiveCoaching

In my 6+ years of Salesforce career, I've rarely missed deadlines. Missing deadlines isn't just frustrating, It can: → Cost the company more money → Mess up their reputation → Cost them customers If you never want to miss a deadline again… Read this post (& apply what you're about to read): 👇🏻 We miss deadlines for 2 main issues: 1/ Some unforeseen problem 2/ Being lazy, procrastinating, or trying to be perfect Nobody can do anything about the 1st issue. Sometimes stuff happens, and you have to drop some work... But issue 2 can be solved. Here's what works for me: 1/ Using Google Calendar Religiously • Put the main deadline as an "event" in the calendar • Add notification reminders a day before and 6 hours before the deadline This makes it physically impossible to miss a deadline by "accident" 2/ Break down the entire project Think of your project as stairs. You can't reach the next level in one step, right? Similarly, divide your project into small, daily-doable tasks. This will make the entire project digestible. 3/ Put something precious on the line Take bets with your co-workers or friends. Whenever someone misses a deadline, they must do something they hate. Example: Making coffee for the entire team for 7 days Whatever it is, take the bet seriously. If you're gonna brush it off, there's no point in placing a bet anyway... This makes you more accountable and the tasks less boring. 4/ Probably the best tip of the collection: Start early! Make a habit of not waiting till the last minute. Start working as soon as you can and cover at least 70% of the work in half of the total time. This way, if anything unexpected happens, you won't have any issues getting back on track. Also, you'll have enough time to review your work before sharing it with clients. This makes the business trust you and want to keep using you This simple 4-step process helped me rarely miss any deadlines in my entire career. What do you think of these steps? Let me know in the comments. If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your network and make sure you follow me for more posts like this. Lastly, if you're a business owner thinking of Automating Salesforce, you can book a free consultation call with me. {Link in comments}

Surprise missed deadlines are a major headache.  They disrupt workflows, create unnecessary stress, and leave everyone scrambling to catch up. But what if there was a better way? When you miss a deadline, it hurts your reputation and credibility. You can avoid this through 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. By letting your manager know about potential roadblocks as soon as you know about them, you become a problem-solver, not a problem creator. This not only reduces stress for everyone involved, but also builds trust and strengthens your professional presence. As the former Head of Editorial at Prezi, here are three strategies my team members used that I appreciated so much: ✅ Flag potential delays early. It benefited the whole team when I got alerted about a roadblock ahead of time. This gave everyone time to adjust, discuss solutions, and minimize the negative impact. ✅ Be specific and be clear. Be upfront about the situation and the impact it might have on the deadline.  ✅ Offer solutions and not just excuses. Coming to your manager with a plan demonstrates responsibility and initiative.  This could involve suggesting an extension, proposing a revised deliverable, or outlining how you plan to catch up. You can save this script for future use: "𝘏𝘪 [𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦], 𝘐'𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐'𝘮 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨/foresee 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘈.  𝘋𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘟, 𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 [𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦]. 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘠.  𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴." Proactive communication is a win-win. Managers appreciate the heads-up and can adjust accordingly. You avoid the last-minute scramble and maintain trust with your team. Remember that all these tips don’t just apply to big projects! The same principles apply to smaller tasks as well. Building this communication habit will put you ahead of the game — and impact your presence in terms of how your colleagues see you. 💬 How do you communicate missed deadlines in advance? Let’s exchange tactics in the comments! #ExecutivePresence #Communication #ProfessionalPresence #WorkplaceTips