Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about productivity. Okay, I’ve been thinking about productivity constantly, for like four or five years. And lately, I’ve had a newer way of thinking about it. This Seven Dimensions thing has really got me jazzed. And being the person that I am, The Productivity Maven and all, I apply all these ideas to myself in that sort of, “Hey, I’ll go first and be the guinea pig!” mentality. Not just that. If I’m going to wear this Maven hat, I’ve gotta have my own walk down.
Part of my walk is putting people first.
Yeah, I know work is important. And my work is loving my people. In the most professional way possible, of course. Reliability is one way I demonstrate how much I care.
Think about it.
How do you feel about someone when you know that they know that there’s something you said you’d do and you haven’t done it? You avoid them like the plague, don’t you? And on top of that, you wind up feel rather, well, grimy about yourself, too, huh? It’s not fun. It might even work up to being painful. Relationships get out of whack or just plain whacked. Not. Good. That’s why Reliability is one of the Seven Dimensions.
If you are not reliable, forget about being productive. Turn in your black belt, buddy.
That, in a nutshell, is why we have to get this stuff down pat. Because people, your people, my people, our people are important and we care about them. It’s not just that we want folks to like us (though that’s very nice). It’s that by being reliable, we demonstrate–far louder and more convincingly than in words–that we care. Being unreliable indicates, true or not, that we don’t care.
Here’s the solution:
- Keep up with what you’ve said yes to.
- Follow through. Relentlessly.
- Communicate. People can be cool with something being late (most of the time). But only if they know what’s going on. This is one time when silence is not golden.
- If you are itchy about unfinished business, face the music. Avoidance is not your friend.
And remember: Your Maven loves you. In a very professional way.
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