TIP 63
UNDERPROMISE AND OVERDELIVER
One promises much, to avoid giving little.
One of the easiest ways to quickly build a reserve of time is to underpromise and overdeliver. To underpromise is to give yourself twice the amount of time you think you’ll need to get something done. To overdeliver means to complete the project ahead of the promised date and turn it in early. For example, the boss comes to you and says, “I want you to work on this important project. When can you get it to me?” Now your natural inclination is to overpromise. You think to yourself, “Hmm. It’s Thursday afternoon. I could work today and tomorrow, come in a few hours on Saturday, and have it ready by Monday morning.” You tell your boss, trying to impress him with your dedication, “If I work hard and get right on it, I’ll have it to you Monday morning.” So, you put aside your other work, come in for more than a few hours on Saturday, and in spite of your efforts, you still aren’t ready because you’re missing some information from another department. Monday arrives and you tell your boss, “I’m just about done. I’ll have it ready this afternoon. I needed some information from George’s department.” She grumbles, and you’ve just blown everything you were trying to accomplish. Your boss is not impressed. You overpromised.
Now try this scenario: You think, “I could get this done by Monday.” You tell your boss, “I will have this to you Wednesday afternoon.” What did you just do? You just created an instant reserve of time—two days to be exact. You enjoy the weekend and go golfing. You are rested and more productive. You get the report done without the stress by Tuesday morning and run it by a colleague for proofreading. You turn it in on Tuesday afternoon. Congratulations—you just overdelivered. Your boss is impressed and thinks you’re great; you are the one who always gets thing done ahead of schedule. This simple tip will dramatically reduce your stress level, and you will be less harried and more clear-headed—much more likely to attract success. Consistently underpromise and overdeliver, and it will result in a bonus or raise.
What if your boss absolutely requires that it is done by Monday? While we often get specific deadlines, most of them can be negotiated. Request the extra two or three days. If you have been consistently underpromising, you will have a reserve of time in all your other projects, and you will actually have the time to crunch it out by Monday if you have to.
Underpromising works wonders in your personal life as well. When your wife asks when you’ll get the garage organized, give yourself double the time you think you will really need. Then when you get it done in one month instead of two, she will be delighted. If you are cooking dinner, instead of bragging ahead of time that you are making a gourmet meal, say you are just cooking something simple and surprise your spouse with a fabulous meal. This also works with kids. Rather than promise trips to SeaWorld, the zoo, and the beach during your California vacation, just promise SeaWorld. Then if you do have time for the other things, it will be an unexpected bonus, and they will be thrilled. However, if you say up front, “If we have the time we’ll also see the zoo and go bodysurfing in the ocean,” you will definitely disappoint the kids if you run out of time. Keep expectations low and then surprise them. Otherwise you will spend your life apologizing.