Everyone leaves the meeting with the same plan.
Two people stay behind to collect their things.
One says, “Actually, shall we do it on Friday?” The other agrees. They’ve had a perfectly reasonable conversation.
By the following morning, there are two perfectly reasonable versions of what’s happening.
I’m interested in who finds out first.
Often, it’s whoever happens to have another reason to call one of those two people. Somebody else can spend the morning getting ready for Thursday because that’s the day everyone agreed on while they were in the room.
I like a conversation after a meeting. Sometimes that’s when somebody remembers the one detail that makes the plan impossible. I’m happy to change my mind when that happens. I want the people doing the work to hear the change from the people who made it.
“Friday instead of Thursday. The venue can only give us access on Friday morning. Claudia, can you check whether the photographer can still come?”
That message takes about as long to write as it does to read. It tells Claudia what changed and gives her a chance to say, “Actually, we need to look at this again.”
There’s a quick test I like.
Imagine the person who left first is now responsible for delivering the work. What would they do based on the last thing they heard from you?
If the answer is “turn up on Thursday,” send the message before you close the laptop.
Read What Can People Count On When the Plan Changes?
Silvia
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