Management hack: death by next action
This is a tried and true hack that isn’t limited to the managers in the crowd. Death by next action has it’s roots in the ‘Getting Things Done’ philosophy. The ‘next action’ phrase refers to the very next physical action that moves a project forward. Death by Next Action is a micromanagement trick that’s used most effectively by non-micromanagers. Since the behavior is so out of character for the non-micromanager, it adds extra psychological kick in the pants. It should go without saying _(But look! It doesn’t!)_ that overuse of Death by Next Action will turn you into a micromanager. Go easy.
**Problem**
You’ve got a boss/colleague/intern/vendor who is dragging their feet on some task that you’re dependent upon, but only they can execute.
**Solution**
Death by next action. Simply put, you hound them until they get it done. And by hound, I mean you call, email or show up on their doorstep. Once a week at first. If you get no resolution after one week, you escalate to every other day. If, after week two, you still have no resolution, you escalate to a daily communication until it’s done. You can certainly push the envelope and do a twice-per-day action, but that’s bordering on pathological.
**Groundrules**
* Be nice. When executing Death by Next Action you should never be snarky, never let a hint of mean-spritedness show. Your demeanor should always be terminally cheerful. The reason for this is purely pragmatic: if the other person gets a whiff of anything but the lemony fresh scent of cheerful, they’ll have a really easy time rationalizing further delays.
* Be transparent. Let them know your expectations and your plans. You expect this task to be completed ASAP, and you plan to remind them of it weekly or daily. Every communication should end with the reminder that you’ll touch base with them again in x days. The reason for this is that they get to see exactly how much more torment lies in store for them, and they’ll be more likely to execute sooner.
* Be prompt. If you say you’re going to follow up with them, do it. Put a note in your calendar, wear a cilice belt, whatever it takes to get you to throw the elbow into their ribs. The reason for this is that if you let it ride, the message you’re sending is that the task isn’t as important as you make it seem. If it isn’t important, why should they spend their time on it?
**Wrap-up**
Death by Next Action is a potent hack. If you’re a micromanager this hack probably makes your palms sweat. Get back, devil. If you’re a more balanced type, then Death by Next Action can be an extremely useful tool for getting your work done.
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POSTED IN: career, coaching, gtd, management, management hack, tips and tricks
9 opinions for Management hack: death by next action
Wayne Holly
Feb 24, 2006 at 1:31 pm
A collary to the process od Death by Next Action is the ultimatum e-mail. After several attempts to get an answer or decision, I send the gatekeeper an email stating that unless I hear otherwise from them by X date, I will proceed with my proposed action.
I have never had an answer to one of these e-mails. I have proceeded and been none the worse for it. Try it sometime!
laurence haughton
Feb 24, 2006 at 2:41 pm
I wrote about the process of encouraging the next action at the WSJ. My source called it “nagging.” Joanne Lipman (the executive in charge of the follow through for a big project there) actually had a checklist of hints abut how to nag and yet not be too annoying.
I never imagined until I interviewed Ms. Lipman that my Mom was practicing a “management hack.”
Angelo
Feb 25, 2006 at 5:21 am
Interesting format for something I’ve used quite a few time. Got more of those?
Lorin Rivers
Feb 27, 2006 at 4:47 pm
What suggestions do you have for the other direction? In other words, good ways to let the people who are waiting for stuff that it’s running late?
Bren
Feb 27, 2006 at 8:26 pm
@Wayne: Excellent reminder of a very effective corrolary, thanks!
@Laurence: Your mom was visionary… :-)
@Angelo: Uh…maybe. These things come to me in dreams–you can’t force that kind of stuff, man. :-)
@Lorin: Easy–overcommunicate. Beat them to the punch. If they have to ask, then it’s your bad. This has the dual effect of being a preemptive strike, AND it lights a fire under your butt to “git ‘er dun”. Additionally, there’s a threshold to overcommunicating–it’s lower for some folks than others. This just makes the hack all that more spicy.
Christo
Mar 2, 2006 at 4:01 am
Cool, but commonly done hack. Still, some good advice though. Only real problem is; works only in the ‘Old United States’ - not the ‘New’ one. In this ‘NEW US of A’ the other side will likely sick a pack of rabid Pit Bulls after you if you pull that number.
Scott Young
Mar 8, 2006 at 6:07 am
Guilt is a powerful tool of persuasion. Frankly, if I were in charge of this person, I’d make the consequences of not doing their job relevant. I suppose, however, this can work in a situation where you aren’t in a superior power position.
Good post!
Mike
Mar 16, 2006 at 6:57 am
@Christo: good point about the generational difference.
One lesson that comes through whether from watching “The Apprentice”, reading books, or just living life is: know your audience. There’s a relatively famous anecdote about how Napoleon supposedly gave three different commanders the exact same mission couched three different ways because of their differences as people.
Good mgrs can lead people…great mgrs can tailor leadership based on knowing the individual. So the question Christo brings up is this: how do you accomplish this hack on someone who is going to perceive this as “nagging”? Maybe for that crowd it’s even more important to have gotten them invested in the task ahead of time so that they see this more as “they need to get you what they want to get you” instead of “they need to get you what you want from them”.
@Lorin, another technique is updates via email. A lot of times mgrs are looking less for the actual results–unless it’s actually time sensitive, which most things are not–and more for proof that progress is being made. So telling your boss, “hey we made a little progress today” can often stave off those annoying–and nagging–emails.
Mike
Hal Halladay
Mar 24, 2006 at 4:22 pm
Great guidance. While I would like to say that I could “lead” or “teach” my employees, colleagues, or interns to be responsive and that such responsiveness is necessary for a team to function, we all know the truth that sometimes such a hack is the only way to get it done. I love the concept you introduced that this may be most effective coming from a “more balanced type” otherwise it is just micro-management.