569. Expert Interview: How to Slash Wasted Time at Work

“So often, what happens is that someone will say, ‘Hey, could you handle this?’ You may automatically say, ‘Oh, yes, sure.’ Maybe it is because you do not want to be a pest or seem annoying or dumb. You hold back on asking some of the key questions that would make a world of difference in ensuring that you fully understand what was being asked, and expected, of you. Or, if you are not an executive or the director or manager of the project, you think you have to do whatever is asked of you. That is kind of true, but what’s also true is that you have the capability, with your own wisdom, knowledge and perspective, to push back or clarify what you’re agreeing to do in advance, which is a crucial way of slashing wasted time.”

“The number one way to slash wasted time at work is to practice push-back. That’s the diplomatic art of saying, ‘No, I’m not going to do that.’ Or, it is the skill of renegotiating a request instead of automatically saying yes to please the person making the request. The second tool is simply to clarify the task, assignment and objectives up-front, so you get a clear assessment from the start and can reduce rework that comes from failure to establish clarity upfront.”