Putting Our Communication to Work

By Sinikka Waugh

This one is generally asked by people who are sensitive to time pressure, or who are naturally fast movers and talkers themselves. They find themselves interacting with another human who moves at a slower pace, talks at a slower pace, or completes work later or slower than they themselves would like.

• Perhaps it’s because work keeps getting delivered at the 11th hour
• Perhaps it’s because our meetings or conversations keep running longer than I like because of all the talking
• Perhaps it’s because I believe in my head that a task should take a certain amount of time, and it seems to be taking longer than I think it should

 
Let me offer three tips:
 
First - Figure what motivates you.
 
Really and truly, stop and reflect on what’s driving your thoughts. The gist is generally something like “if I really stopped and said what I’m really thinking out loud, I would say, ‘you work too slowly...why can’t you be fast like me?’”
 
Yikes. That feels like a value judgment...
 
Have I decided that person is somehow less than I am because of their pace? Have I decided I am somehow better because of my pace?
 
If you take a moment to search your thoughts, and find a hint of judgment, stop. Let it go. Find something else about the person that you do value so that you have not devalued another human because of their working speed.
 
Second - Figure out what motivates them.
 

• Are they meticulous? Do they seem to take longer on some activities while they take time to make it as perfect as they can?
• Are they Pressure prompted? Do they seem to light up in situations of competition, where there are races or winners or prizes? Do they seem to really pull things out at the end when the pressure is on?
• Are they connectors? Do they work better or deliver more thorough and complete results when they’ve had a chance to converse and connect with the people around them?

 
What motivates them to complete work or to finish a thought? Once you understand what motivates them, you can appeal to that sense of motivation and help them use it to their advantage.
 
Third - Adjust you to meet their needs.

• If you’re working with someone who is pressure prompted, in a different way than you are, create pressures and prompts that align with a timeline you can live with. If you know that they’ll deliver something at the 11th hour, but you would really be more comfortable with the 7th hour, then give them an internal deadline that helps them deliver at the 7th hour.
• Create competitions among those who are motivated by races, friendly, or internal competition. If it’s just one person, set visual reminders of how they can compete against themselves to get even better.
• Create opportunities for human connection among the team. If you have folks on your team who work better when they can interact, then you must create opportunities for interaction.


Part of the joy of working with other humans is we are all different. We are motivated and inspired by different things. And our differences make our end results stronger and better. Delight in the differences of those around you! Don’t assume we are motivated by the same things. Rather, take the opportunity to motivate others in the way that works best for them.