What action have you taken towards achieving the goal and has the task been completed? In my humble practice as a corporate governance actor, I have often come across the saying; “whereas the effort you have made is appreciated, the fact that the target has not been met is the substantive issue here”.

 There is a general reluctance to reward effort where the target has not been met. This means that as we embark on the journey we must keep focus on the destination with every effort we make.

 I have also experienced sending a request and waiting for forever for a response. Delivery is impacted by the delayed response and reflects negatively on the task holder. Having a system of following up matters so that you can follow through your task to completion is golden. For example, as a leader responsible for departmental approvals and endorsements, it would be helpful if you indicated a timeframe after which if your response is not forthcoming, you are followed up for it as a matter of duty by your team members. With discipline, the leader should be able to provide the response immediately. Another example is when you request to discuss a matter before you respond. There should be a subsequent action where a date/time is agreed for the matter to be discussed so that the formal response can be expeditiously given.

 Overall, agreement on turnaround times and respecting them is critical for completion of tasks.

 Reciprocity in terms of understanding and consideration of respective standard operating procedures across functions in an organization has proved to be the oil in that perfect engine! For example, a court matter is largely premised on respective submissions being filed within a given time. Therefore. colleagues responsible for providing evidence or instructions are expected to provide feedback to their colleagues in Legal in good time and at the same time, the Legal department officers must follow up and follow through the work. Make the effort with a view of completing the task so that the question of reward can be answered in the affirmative!

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