Hey friends,
Welcome to the 51st edition of the “Level Up Ladder” newsletter.
In this one, I will talk about the importance of setting clear expectations for your boss or your client, as well as some…
1/ Some updates from my side
It’s finally spring here in Romania and it’s a joy to spend time outside. We took advantage of the nice weather to go away to the mountains last weekend.
It was a very relaxing weekend, spent with old friends, and I needed this to recharge for the weeks ahead.
We walked around, ate good food, and drank some beers. It was a fun time.
Orthodox Easter is on May 4th, and we will have some time off, but until then, I still have 2 full weekends for my MBA and a half-marathon to run in the forest, next week.
This reminds me that I don’t feel I’ve trained enough for this race. At least not as much as I did for the last one.
I was talking about this with a friend. Even though you think you can do a lot of things, adding more to your plate will take a toll on other aspects of your life. Spending at least one hour every day plus one weekend every other week studying or writing papers is impacting other sections of my life. Especially the ones surrounding fitness and online writing.
But it is what it is, it’s something I took into consideration before joining the program and I will stick with it.
2/ Setting the right expectations
You know that situation when your boss asks you to deliver something by a certain date and you know there's a high chance that won't happen? But agree to it anyway?
For me, this happened a lot during my junior years.
It still happens now, from time to time, I’ll admit.
If you are doing this too, stop. It will hurt your career more than you think.
Let's clear things out. We are not talking about solving problems for which you have to go the extra mile to get them done. These tasks are beneficial to you, as they get you outside your comfort zone and stretch your limits.
No, I am talking about tasks that keep you working 16-hour days and that keep you up at night.
Agreeing to these tight deadlines won't give you long-term benefits.
You won't deliver on time
This will cause your boss to no longer trust you and your estimations. If this happens more than once, it's a relationship that will be hard to recover.
You will deliver on time, but with great sacrifices.
Your boss will now take the results for granted and push you beyond your limits over and over again. You will be known as the one who never says "no" and gets things done, no matter what.
The problem is that we are all in this situation sometimes. Agreeing to do impossible things.
Why are we doing this?
Fear of Conflict and Rejection.
We fear the immediate conflict or rejection that might arise from saying "no." We worry about damaging the relationship or that our boss will look down on us. Ironically, this will lead to the very outcome we hoped to avoid, by not being able to keep our promises.
Desire for Approval
Most of us have a strong desire to be liked, accepted, or approved.
This need for approval is deeply rooted in our social nature and can override the rationale of what we are able to accomplish.
Low Self-Esteem
People with low self-esteem often believe they have to say "yes" to everything to prove their worth or value to others.
This can lead to taking on more than they can handle in an attempt to feel valued or competent.
Optimism Bias
This cognitive bias causes us to believe we can do things better than average people.
This makes us overly optimistic about our capacity to deliver.
Thus, underestimating the time and resources needed to fulfill the promise.
Social Conditioning
Many cultures and social norms condition individuals to be accommodating, often at the expense of their own needs.
Some people are raised to believe that saying "no" is rude or unacceptable, leading them to avoid it even when necessary.
Ok, we know the reasons, but what can we do about it?
The short answer is transparency and communication.
Here's what you can do next time your boss asks you to do something that you won't be able to finish in time.
1. Assess Your Capacity
Before agreeing to a new task, realistically assess your current workload and deadlines.
If a new task would jeopardize your ability to meet existing commitments, it might be necessary to negotiate or decline.
Be upfront about what you can deliver and by when.
2. Communicate the Associated Risks
When you need to decline or negotiate a request, tell your boss what the risks associated with your decision are.
Explain your current workload and how taking on more might impact the quality of your work.
3. Offer Alternatives
If you can't take on a task, suggest alternative solutions.
You could propose a different timeline. recommend someone else who can do this or commit to only a sub-part of the task.
4. Prioritize Tasks
Discuss with your superior about prioritizing tasks.
If everything is a priority, then nothing is.
Understanding what is most critical can help you manage your workload more effectively.
5. Self-Care
Remember that constant pressure and overtime can lead to burnout, affecting your health and productivity in the long run.
Taking care of your physical and mental well-being is crucial.
In the end, it's all about saying "no" with grace. Use phrases like
"I'd love to take this on, but given my current projects, I won't be able to give it the attention it deserves until next week. Would that work for you?"
or
"I know you want me to agree on this, but I would lie to you if I told you that I don't have a big concern about finishing this on time. Give me a couple of days to think about it more and I'll come back to you with a reasonable plan".
Remember, your boss or clients don't always want things done quickly. They want to know they can rely on you to get things done when you tell them.
So, next time someone comes to you with an unreasonable request, go through these strategies.
It's the only way to maintain a healthy working relationship with your superior.
3/ Recommendations
Shortcut for ChatGPT’s voice assistant
If you have an iPhone, you can create a shortcut that will start a voice conversation with ChatGPT. And it’s a lot better than Siri, of course. If you walk down the street and you remember a book someone recommended to you, ask the assistant for a summary.
PS: If you have the latest models, with the Action button, you can set it up to trigger the shortcut.
More details here.
This article by Sahil Bloom
The central point: Time is our most precious asset.
https://www.sahilbloom.com/newsletter/the-time-billionaire-a-concept-that-changed-my-life
This music collaboration
I know it’s not new, but I stumbled upon it again.
Thank you for reading, and let me know if you liked something in particular in this newsletter.
I hope you have a great weekend, friends!
Leo
P.S.: If you want to read my content daily, don’t forget to follow me on Linkedin.
P.S. 2: If you want to take your productivity to the next level, check out my extensive Productivity course that can accelerate your career.