You know what you want in your business or from your organization. You have a game plan, a solid team and a goal. Yet sometimes it feels like things are not moving fast enough. This can easily lead to missed deadlines, loss of a contract and tension between you and others in your team. The primary reason this happens is due to misalignment on the level of urgency a given situation requires and is expected.
To change this and get the results you want, faster, you need to infuse your level of urgency into the situation. The fact is, often those you are meeting and dealing with are not aware of the level of urgency you have for that given project or deal. It is up to you, as the leader, to make them aware – even if it takes extra meetings, more time, more calls or a late-night meeting.
If you do not infuse the deal with your appropriate level of urgency, then it will be just another ‘to-do’ on someone list. You need to make it important to them and if it doesn't happen, it is leadership that fails. Not the team or an individual. You can not have a list of 20 items you call “priority” as none of it will be a priority. Here are 5 steps to make sure there is alignment with your level of urgency to a given situation.
The Why
Break it down. How do they benefit from the project or the deal? How does it connect with the large goal and vision? What do they have to lose if they do not act now? These factors need to be made clear and solid, not vague intangibles like ‘could’ or ‘might’. Businesses do not thrive on ‘might’ – they grow on ‘will’.
Be In Person
Sometimes business can, and should, be performed over the phone, video calls or via e-mail. These types of inventions have revolutionized the world allowing for projects and deals to move forward. Yet for all the ease these conveniences offer, the one thing they do not express adequately is a sense of urgency. If you are on a deadline, if you need to make this happen and make it happen now, then a face to face, in person sit down may be your best course of action.
YOU need to go – if possible.
If the deadline approaching is critical and you need to make it happen, then you, as the Leader, need to be the one present and closing the deal or making sure the project is complete to satisfaction. Having the head of a company or an organization personally reach out and express their level of urgency will have a ripple effect and set the right tone.
Get it in writing
Do not walk away from the table on a promise. You need solid action and a signed contract or a documented action item list with owners. If they are unwilling to sign or agree to a decision at that particular moment – set a date in the near future when you will all come together again. Schedule it. Set it in stone. Then follow-up.
When it comes to winning at Business, you do what needs to be done. Take a trip, meet face to face, get it in writing and seal the deal. Come armed with a friendly smile and a file of facts and metrics to back up your case. If you can get everyones level or urgency to match yours, then things will happen and everyone wins.
Comment below on things you do that also work to raise others level of urgency.
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