Yesterday I wrote about being patient at work, and today that lesson was tested again. One of my teammates told me straight to my face that I should not intervene with how they do their job. They do not want me to suggest solutions and they do not want me to set any schedule for when they should submit their work.
Basically, what they want is full freedom to take their time and only show progress when they feel ready. On one hand, I understand that everyone has their own pace and way of working. On the other hand, we are working on a project that involves many people, and the pieces need to come together at a certain time. Without clear timelines, how can we know when the project will be finished?
For me, deadlines are not about controlling people. They are about respecting everyone’s time and making sure our efforts connect properly. If each person follows their own timing without coordinating with others, the whole team ends up confused. It is like trying to build a house when nobody knows when the materials will arrive.
I will admit, it is emotionally tiring to keep pushing for structure because it makes me feel like the “bad guy” in the group. But I also believe that part of being responsible is speaking up when something might put the whole project at risk. Jim Rohn once said, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment,” and I feel that applies strongly here.
Moving forward, I want to stay patient, listen to their side, and still explain why schedules matter. I hope we can find a middle ground where they feel trusted, and at the same time, the team can move with more clarity toward our shared goal.
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