Beyond artificial deadlines
Most deadlines are human set for no real reason but trying to make sure work gets done.
Some deadlines are necessary. End of financial year is not a date we can move. Or when collaborating with other teams that rely on our work. But many deadlines are set by someone and with no real need for a deadline besides. They are a sign that leadership doesn’t trust the team and believe that work will only get done if we set a deadline. It usually tells me there are other issues at play.
The problem with setting too many deadlines, especially if they are unrealistic is that they lead to team desensitisation (if everything is a priority then nothing is a priority) and burnout 🔥
There are so many possible reasons why a team might not deliver or be productive. Slapping a deadline on it will not fix it.
But if you must set a deadline, then do it in consultation with the team. Sit down and discuss why we need a piece of work done, what is realistic, what dependencies should we consider, and if the date is set, what compromises should we make to ensure with hit the target date.
How do deadlines impact or inform your projects and roadmap?