What are deadlines? Why are they important? Why are people missing deadlines?
A deadline is a line of responsibility. It is a line between the responsible people and the irresponsible people. A deadline is a line of trust between two committed people trying to get something done. If you break it, if you miss it, it becomes a problem. If you break it, people will not trust you anymore. They will not like to do business with you anymore.
People want to work with those they trust. They don’t want to do anything with a businessman or woman who never walks the talk. If you want people to trust you, to respect you, to want to be around you, always keep your promise, always meet your deadlines. It is very important for future personal and professional growth. For example, if you promise to buy pizza for your kids, and you failed to do it, what did they do with you? Were they happy or sad? If you don’t buy them the pizza that you promised to buy, they will never trust you again. If your kids don’t trust you, you are a dead man walking.
“If you want people to trust you, to respect you, to want to be around you, always keep your promise, always meet your deadlines.”
In business, missing a deadline is even worse. It can put your team, your organization, and yourself into a state of chaos. One thing is important to do when you are falling behind in your agreement: tell the client what is going on, and when you will deliver the service. Don’t lie. If you know you cannot get it done, don’t fool yourself by promising what you cannot do. If you do that, your reputation will be in hell after the transaction is over. To prevent this from happening, do what Harvey Mackay says, “Deadlines aren’t bad. They help you organize your time. They help you set priorities. They make you get going when you might not feel like it.”
If you want to make it in business and in life, you MUST respect deadlines. They are deadlines. They are not birthlines. If you miss it, you are dead! Don’t miss it.
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