T’was the night before Christmas…
…and Santa is delivering joy, right on schedule. He knows his annual 24 December deadline is non-negotiable and so he plans accordingly. But what if Santa procrastinated or failed to plan his schedule well enough to get everything done on time? What if he hadn’t coordinated his elves, or checked the sleigh was ready, or neglected his toy inventory? If Santa missed his deadline, the result would be disappointment and broken expectations across the world. It would also provide a memorable lesson on the risks of poor planning.
The origin of the word ‘deadline’ is a little too gruesome for this holly, jolly edition of BQ. But we all know its modern definition: “The latest time or date by which something should be completed.” So when did it become negotiable?
It isn’t always possible for the project owner to move a deadline and yet extensions are still regularly requested. Of course there are sometimes exceptional circumstances but poor planning isn’t one of them. If you start to rely on extensions to complete projects, it can damage trust and decrease productivity. Proactive planning ensures you’re fully prepared to meet deadlines without any last-minute scrambles.
While missing a deadline might not affect every child in the world, it can create ripple effects on teams, clients, or partners further along in the chain. Planning effectively demonstrates responsibility and foresight. This includes:
- Breaking down the work into manageable steps
- Setting interim goals
- Keeping track of progress to ensure you stay on track to deliver on time
Effective planning also helps mitigate unforeseen obstacles, making it easier to handle them if they arise.
For Santa, there are no second chances on Christmas morning. In our work, assuming a deadline is flexible can be risky and cost time, credibility and even business opportunities. If you can’t meet a tender deadline, who will believe you can deliver on time? You may think an extension will always be available, especially if you’ve received one in the past – but this is a dangerous trap. Relying on past leniency creates a false sense of security.
Treat every deadline as if it’s Santa’s 24 December delivery date, with no option for delay. Plan your work accordingly and you will wrap up quality, reliability and trust. And you’ll stay off the naughty list for next year.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Lisa Readman
Lisa is an expert Content Evaluator and APMP Certified Practitioner as well as a highly skilled proofreader and copy editor of bidding, sales and marketing documents. Her bid and proposals career began in 2003 and she established her own business (Readman Writes) in 2018 after 15 years as a Bid Writer, Bid Coordinator and Knowledge Manager.
