A message from Sandy. When someone tells you a task needs to be done ASAP, how does that make you feel? Pressured? Confused? Unsure how to allocate your time? Are you thinking what about all the other things you have to do, and where does this fit in? What should I put aside to get this done? When someone says ASAP you feel that the task is of such priority that it needs to be completed as soon as humanly possible.

My concern is ASAP has no context or deadline.  As soon as possible could mean now, or it could mean in the next day or two. It seems to radiate non-specified urgency. Is this task so urgent it can’t even be allocated a deadline? That’s how urgent the task I just assigned you is. Your team has many obligations throughout the day and this unclear direction could derail them or encourage them to put a very important task aside to complete the new ASAP assignment. A little help please! We all have team members that need assistance in prioritizing tasks throughout the day, clarifying exactly when this needs to be done and how it fits into the day could save some headaches.

Could ASAP just be lazy delegation? The task-giver hasn’t bothered to think through a timeline and just says as soon as possible. Herein lies the problem, since the deadline is so vague, so is the priority.This means one of two things happen–the task either gets done then and there, or gets dropped in favor of more specific tasks. Who delegates ( boss or teammate) the task may reflect the importance of the task and have some part in how soon it gets done, perhaps to the exclusion of a more important, but less urgent tasks, or land in the “someday” pile.

Consider using ASAP only when it really applies and with a shared agreement of the impact it may have on other tasks for the day, and clear expectations for the completion of the task. It’s worth spending an extra 60 seconds to think through a proper timeline and delegate effectively. What part do you have in helping your team prioritize their tasks for the day?