A Round "To It"

Have you ever delegated a task to someone only to have them say (verbally or non-verbally), "I will do it, when I get around to it?" Or, has it been awhile since you gave an assignment and it still hasn't been completed? Here is a solution. Create a sheet of round stickers that have the words, “To IT” in the middle of the circle. Next time they say, "…when I get around to it," hand them a sticker and say, "Here is a 'Round To IT,' now will you get it done?"

OK, that might be a bad idea. You might end up with the sticker on YOUR forehead, because you can easily offend someone that has too many acts in their circus at the moment. The point is, when you delegate a task, it is important to set expectations and do some negotiating of when the task can and should be accomplished. Don't expect someone to guess when you expect something to be done. Let them know what type of priority it is and where it might fit in an already large list of demands. Remember, you are the ringmaster of the timeline. They are the ringmaster of the task.