The Time Management of Waiting

Can it wait? Will you lose the sale? Is the opportunity lost? Is it an emergency? Do I have to stop what I am doing right now to do this?

I work with a lot of people in sales. There is a tendency to have a LIFO (last in first out) attitude. The most recent thing (particularly if it is from a customer or boss) becomes the initial point on the priority list to get done. While there are times this needs to be the approach, it should not be a full-time tactic.

According to the Time Management Analysis (TMA) from Kairos Management Solutions, 4 out 10 people are challenged with the ability to say no.

“As social creatures who want to be part of the herd, we also want to preserve our relationships. So, we might blurt out yes because we don’t want to be seen as difficult, says Dr. Emily Anhalt, a clinical psychologist and co-founder of Coa, an online mental fitness club.” (1)

When it comes to time management, the answer does not necessarily need to be no but in many cases it could be not yet. That is where the “Can it wait?” or CIW process can help.

CIW takes the uneasiness of a no and helps provide context to the person asking the request and clarity to the receiver trying to determine how to accommodate a wish or even demand.

C – Clarify

Determining the importance of the item or person interrupting your routine does require discernment. An incoming email provides context because it contains written details allowing you to easily ask, “Can it wait?”

However, interruptions, calls and texts are harder. You can let a call go to voicemail and ignore the text. Still, are you disciplined enough keep working on your existing issue without checking? It is even tougher to ignore someone directly there. Ask yourself, “Can it wait [amount of time] for me to finish before I respond?”

I – Information

If you find you need to answer the request immediately, before you say yes be ready to gain information. Asking open ended questions or statements provides insights into the requestor’s intentions.

• How important is this to you?
• When is the deadline?
• What do you need from me?
• Help me understand the time commitment.

W – Warranty

After getting clarity and seeking the necessary information, the last step in “Can it wait?” is to gain some sense of a warranty, guarantee, or pledge on your involvement. Get solid agreement on the length of time and depth of engagement. Hold the other person accountable (even if it might be a client or supervisor).

After you have worked through attaining clarity (C), information (I), and procuring a warranty (W) decide if the “Can it wait?” question has been answered for both you and the other person. Move forward with a new task at hand or get back to what you are doing.

Learn about your time management opportunities by taking and getting a free Time Management Analysis (TMA) summary report. Schedule an appointment with Dave Buck to discuss a full time management improvement program for individuals, teams and companies.

(1) How and When to Say No