5 Reasons Why Your Team is Missing Deadlines and What You Can Do About It

I’m tired of making excuses for why we can’t meet deadlines.? It feels like I constantly have to make that phone call apologising for the delay again.? I want ‘early’ to be the default not 'late'!

Sound familiar?

As our teams get bigger we should get faster, but we all know that is not what happens.? Facing delays and longer lead times, as you grow, is common but it doesn’t mean your clients will be happy to accept them!

This newsletter looks at 5 reasons why your team are missing deadlines and what you can do about it.

Let’s dive in!

Reason 1: Too Many Change Requests

Why: Your Client isn’t Happy So Asks for Alterations

Redoing work always takes a lot lot longer than getting it right in the first place. But you have to provide what the client wants; so if they aren’t happy you have to redo it.? Alteration requests can be avoidable. The trick is making absolutely sure that everyone is on the exact same page.

What to Do: Change your Spec Collection and Clarification Process

Review your spec collection and clarification processes.? What are your common causes for rework?? What do clients often request to be changed?? Make sure that you have built these questions into the initial brief gathering work.?

Are there different ways to present and clarify to the client? Can you paint a picture of what it will be like to gain their approval before you begin making?

Reason 2: Unnecessary Extra Work

Why: Redundant Steps are Still Executed Because No One Said Not To

Your team is good; a problem arises so they add a check or step or change so it doesn’t happen again.? But when that problem goes away, often the additional step is not removed.? The team is now executing the step completely unnecessarily. And no one knows it.

What to Do: Review to Ensure Each Step is Required in Your Process. Ditch the Waste

Make sure you review processes often. Scrutinise each step; do we need this? are we sure we do? Anything that doesn't have a valid reason, ditch!

Reason 3: Each Team is Waiting to Start

Why: Each Team Awaits the Go Ahead from the Previous One to Get Started

The work is handed from team to team to craft your finished product. Each team diligently waits for the previous team to be done before they get started. If there is a tiny delay in one team, especially early on, the rest of the business is playing catch up. And doesn't always win.

What to Do: Define the Minimum 'Get Started' Criteria – What Work is Required for the Next Team to Begin?

Often the previous team doesn't need to have finished absolutely everything for the next one to begin. What do they need to have done?

Traditionally processes follow what is called a 'push' system. When work is completed it is pushed into the next step. A 'pull' system flips this on it's head; by defining the smallest work package that needs completed to get started each team can pull work forward as soon as they see that it has reached the minimum level of completion.

Define the minimum criteria for each team of the previous team and put in place triggers so each team can get started asap.

Reason 4: Poor Quality Requires Rework

Why: The Work Doesn’t Hit the Quality Bar so Needs Redone

If it's not good enough; it's not good enough and it needs to be redone. Delays caused by quality issues really drive you crazy; but sending clients sub par work isn't what you are about.

What to Do: Build in Frequent Checkpoints and/or Quality Control Standards

Build in frequent checkpoints. This does two things firstly, you catch issues earlier so they have less potential to cause delay. And secondly people know it will be checked and therefore do it right the first time.

Be aware; checks themselves take time; make sure you don't add new delays by designing them well.

Reason 5: Bottlenecks

Why: Work Piles Up Where Capacity is Less Than a Previous Step

It's hard to get every step in the process at the exact same level of capacity but if you don't you get bottlenecks. Over time requirements change and ensuring that the team set up adapts is critical.

What to Do: Review and Add Capacity or Share Work Workload

Review. Review and reset to add capacity where capacity is required. Your team will be able to tell you instantly where work gets stuck. Can you add more people there with training or hiring? Can work be split in a different way? Can something else be taken off the bottleneck's plate?

Taming those Timelines will

… not only make your clients happier it will make your teams happier too. In my experience time pressure is a heavy weight in any team and all too often it causes people to play the blame game. "I was waiting on him". "Well I'm delayed because of her". No one wins the blame game.

I hope these techniques help you find more time.

P.S

This is the second newsletter in a series that will look at the most common struggles small businesses who want to streamline internal processes and get the most from their teams face.

Future issues will look at:

? Why Your Team Keep Making Mistakes and What to Do About It.

? Why Your Teams Are Operating in their Own Bubbles;

? Why Your Team Feels Overwhelmed and Burned Out;

? Why Your Team Is Leaving Profit on The Table ;

? Why You Have No Visibility Into Team Progress

?....And What To Do About It

Hit Subscribe if you don't want to miss these.

You can also catch the first edition:

? 5 Reasons Why Your Team is Drowning in Mundane Repetitive Tasks and What You Can Do About It

I'm Rebecca and I help busy business owners with growing teams sort out their business operations, processes & systems so they can step back with confidence.

If you want to begin your operational streamlining journey, but aren't sure where to start ?take my free assessment and pinpoint where your operations falls short and develop a plan to tackle it. HERE . (Get your free report on where the gaps are in the way work gets done by answering a few questions about your business)