The fortune’s in the follow-up

9th October 2012

You’ll be communicating a lot today. But when will you be following up? As you know, follow-up is essential, in that it:

  • builds momentum
  • ensures everything gets done (after all, unless you’re lucky/skilled/important/surrounded by saints, you have to follow certain things up. It’s just the way it is)
  • ensures previous activities have worked as planned (“Did last week’s session improve things as you wanted? How else can I help?”)

But, despite its importance, follow-up is often:

  • not discussed during a communication; and/or
  • not diarised

The former means you have to re-start momentum later – never as easy; the latter means you’ll probably forget to do it on time/at all – never good. Fortunately, the solution is very simple:

  1. Agree during a communication when you’ll follow-up later. Simply ask “how and when shall we follow-up?”
  2. Think “5 and 5”. Create a daily 5-minute reminder at 5pm called “diarise all today’s follow-ups” where you review your day’s activities and schedule when you’ll follow each one up

So, you’ll be communicating a lot today. When will you be following up?

Action point

For all today’s communications, remember the two Ds: agree During the conversation when you’ll follow-up; then Diarise it, so you ensure you do. And if it works today, do it every day! To receive Tuesday Tips, click here  

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