One way to know if you follow up is to ask yourself if things you want to get done do. This includes tasks you or others, whether inside or outside your company, are working on. I know many of you are thinking you shouldn’t have to follow up for things to be completed. That is a misplaced thought.
How many times have you realized at or just before the end of the business day a task or project slipped your mind that had to be done that day? If you are honest with yourself, you know you have been there.
Despite the best laid plans, I have been there. And what works for me to try and avoid such a situation may or may not work for you. I use To Do lists, as well as calendaring to try and make sure no task or project, no matter how small, slips through the cracks. You may make lists too. Or maybe you have some type of different system to do this.
In dealing with others, these types of systems can be used to remind you to call that vendor about the product or service to be delivered to your company. Or to call, message, or actually walk down the hall, to check in with your employee or team member on that project you gave them or are working on together.
If you don’t do this and something is not on time, you should take part of the blame This is true even though you shouldn’t have to follow up on others completing their tasks. But they are busy like you and lack of follow up can result in late deliveries or completion of work you are waiting on. And it ultimately reflects on you, poorly, and reputation takes years to build and minutes to destroy.
So follow up and don’t let this happen to you!!
