ASAP

When your boss, client or significant other rubs their imaginary "ASAP lantern" do they expect you to appear in a puff of red smoke wearing a genie costume and grant all their wishes instantly? We all face ASAP requests like these all the time. Perhaps you possess magical powers, but I know I don’t. Although I did watch every second of every episode of I Dream of Jeannie like every other red-blooded American boy in the 70's.

“ASAP.” Everyone's favorite four letters when they need something but nobody ever wants to be on the receiving end of that request. Here's the rub (pun intended). One person's ASAP could be third-in-line for you because you have two prior urgent requests to handle -- frequently from that same person because everything is "ASAP" to them. 

Regardless of the industry, if you are in a service role, you already know that managing expectations is often more important than the actual results you deliver. When someone asks for ASAP, what they only care about is the "S" -- as in soon soon soon. What you need to do is shift the focus of the conversation to the "P." What is possible? It’s nifty that someone wants something speedy but if that is faster than what is literally "P" you better speak up or you’re guaranteed to fail in your "Master's" eyes. 

What I like to do is stop the person when they ask for ASAP and say that something will be done "as soon as IS possible." Just those two letters communicate that there's a gap between their wish, however lovely it may be, and the reality of my granting it. The next time someone asks you for something so fast it's unrealistic, shift the focus from the S to the P and remind them that you might be a skilled, dedicated professional but you're not a genie.