I trusted a coworker with a task, but they changed.
On Monday morning, seeing a coworker you trusted to handle something act differently than before can leave you wondering where to begin getting back on the…
Scenes
- Their update on the task had changed — On Monday morning, the coworker I trusted with a task gives me a different answer than before. Instead of wondering whether my trust was misplaced, I first look at how we divided the work.
- We checked in less — At first, we trusted each other and let the other handle things. So we checked in less along the way, and didn’t spell out the scope or deadline.
- I only found out after the deadline — Last week, my coworker didn’t tell me in advance that the deadline might be difficult to meet. I only heard on Monday morning that the schedule had slipped.
- Trust and check-ins are different stones — Trusting someone with a task and agreeing to check on its progress are different things. Without a check-in along the way, you may not hear about a schedule change until late.
- Set a time to check in — If you have a task to assign today, try setting a time to check on its progress. Checking in may feel awkward.
- Start with what changed — You don’t have to decide that your initial trust was misplaced. You can start with what happened that day: which agreement was missing, and where you might get back on the same page.
Stories by Baekho
- Baekho
- Rent day comes while I’m waiting for a reply.
- After the clash in the meeting, I can’t focus on anything this afternoon.
- When personal questions keep coming at a holiday gathering, smile and answer them.
- Recalculating living expenses after quitting, in a room away from home
- Starting over at the bank counter
- I went to the celebration, but why did it take me so long to give my team credit?
- As I put on my shirt, yesterday’s joke comes back to me.
- It’s true, but on my way home, I keep rephrasing it.