By When

By When is a powerful and precise communication tool that creates a reliable foundation for performance.

A communication without a By When is just chatter. Consider the difference between “I will get back to you asap” and “I will get back to you by 5pm tomorrow”. The second option creates an unambiguous time that allows for reliable access to a different level of Performance and collaboration.

Once a By When has been delivered, the recipient can use it as a reliable building block for their next steps — which are often additional By Whens given to others. Consider that a highly effective organization is held together by a highly reliable network of By When’s and organizational commitments.

Also consider that, as humans, we are fallible. Missing a By When is not in and of itself an issue, but failing to communicate an updated, revised or revoked By When will reliably reduce the organizational performance.

A consistent and reliable use of By When can create a more impactful result than even an on-time delivery.

Do not limit the power of By When to just being another version of a due date. It can also be used as a signal for the next follow-up.