Yesterday I wrote about the art of follow-up and today I want to talk about closing the loop. Follow-up is rework … necessary, but truly rework. How do you stop rework for people working or even interacting with you ?
Send updates and let people know what is happening in the interim, till the end result is achieved. Many of us have this terrible habit of not returning phone calls, not responding to SMSes, not reading WhatsApp or just not letting the other person know that you are unable to respond at that point in time. I feel terrible when someone doesn’t respond and I also feel terrible when someone gets too intrusive. Am assuming many people feel the same way. I see my Whatsapp a few times in a day because otherwise its too intrusive.
Please change the status on WhatsApp to “do not disturb” if you don’t want to be pinged or drop out of groups for short periods of time. Send an SMS if you are unable to take the call and make sure you callback as promised. If you don’t want to speak to that person, just let them know you are occupied and cannot take their call right now. If someone interviews with you, let them know the feedback either way, just letting them hang there is terrible.
Everyone wants to know … so let them know. Close the loop, please.