We all do it. Tell colleagues and collaborators that we will have something done next week when we know darn well that we won't. We have learned to do this to avoid messy situations (confrontations?), assuage guilt, and hope and hope and hope that somehow we will magically get back to that article that we said we would do three months ago!
And yes, I do understand you are not lying intentionally. However, this defense mechanism leads to a great deal of guilt and anxiety--you know that feeling, hoping an email from the recipient of said "lie" does not pop into your email box! The cumulation of those little lies can lead to a great deal of email dread.
The solution? Getting real with ourselves, and with our colleagues about the actual nature of our writing agenda. It may make for some slightly harder discussions upfront, but decreases a great del of psychic toll.
Great advice - and I wish more people would apply it in different areas of business as well. Hard, but worth it I think. Also, maybe there would be more respect and understanding for the fact that reading, writing and research really does take time?
ReplyDeleteThis rings very true today... Good advice
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