Monday, November 15, 2010

Next Time I'm Going To Say NO

So. On Thursday a client asked me to take on an emergency project, with delivery by end of business on Friday. I assessed the work, and let her know expectations were unrealitic. Suggested an extension. But the situation was so desperate and the work really had to be delivered on Friday, they said.
I said fine, I'll try, but I doubt it can be done.
As is usually the case with things like that, of course things went wrong. I got another charger (I mentioned previously that my charger packed up?), but my laptop kept acting up, turning itself off at the damndest of times. I'm now convinced the fan system is also packing up ( and ja, it is old). Bottomline is, work was slow....
On Friday morning I emailed client again, saying, "WE NEED AN EXTENSION! End of business today is not gonna happen."
Big boss of my direct liaison got ugly and cast aspersions on my professionalism. Demanded that I deliver on Friday evening or else.
Did I mention that this was a big project that would realistically take about 4 days? Anyhoo, I brought in someone else to help me, and we worked full days on Saturday and Sunday. We're only wrapping up things now. And I'm tired, cranky and wondering why I punished myself like this.
In retrospect, I should have said "No" to the assignment, no matter how much I like my liaison and  the fact that Christmas is coming and every extra Rand helps. It was way too stressful, and I allowed someone to dump their self-created problems on me, and then make out like I was the one at fault.
So, I'm resolving to learn how to set realistic deadlines for myself and my clients.  And next time another client asks for the impossible, I'm going to have to take a deep breath, still the panic in my heart ( for refusing money on the table) and say "NO."

2 comments:

tiah said...

Goodness. Not fun.

Damaria Senne said...

@ tia. True. The annoying part is that I created this problem for myself. I should just have said no. LOL.

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