One of the biggest sources of wasted effort lies neither in poor preparation nor bungled execution, but in the failure to follow up. I have watched many good efforts turn to naught for lack of seeing the process all the way through, either deliberately or by accident. It is quite sad when it happens, especially when it comes on the heels of a perfect planning and flawless execution, say, in an educational event, prospecting campaign or, for that matter, a romantic courtship!
Follow up, or tie-downs, as they are sometimes called, are the final 20% effort that result in an additional 80% of return on investment. Efforts made in this final stage of a project, any project, are well-worth it and unfortunately, there are no shortcuts that lead to the same level of final accomplishment.
Some make a habit of skipping this final and vitally important phase. They become distracted by the next big project on the horizon, leaving current projects in limbo while likely promising themselves that they will “get back to it” when time allows. Unfortunately, time does not tend to open up, apart from when the projects being juggled begin to implode. There is plenty of time at that point, but little material to work with as your resources are sucked irretrievably into a black hole of their own making.
Others are not nearly so negligent. They make an effort to summarize the key points to be followed up on and may even take the next step of assigning those to-dos to themselves or others, but like the first group, they fail to keep the follow up items on their radar. One by one, the to-dos drop out of sight and so too does the promise inherent in the initial phases of the project.
The third group – the one you want to be in – is as diligent in accomplishing follow-through as it is during the planning and execution phases. This group contains the super-achievers, those who consistently beat the averages. Interestingly enough, this type of person demands the least amount of your time as a manager. They are generally self-sufficient, self-disciplined and last but not least, self-supporting. They carry their weight in any organization, whether it be a business, public office or even a family.
Many people fail for internal reasons, for lack of discipline and character, despite their protestations that they were unable to succeed because of some external force beyond their control. Granted, such occasions do arise, but the person who has invested his time, money and effort wisely during these three phases – preparation, execution and follow up – is generally unfazed by the inevitable bumps and potholes along the way.
We’ll consider how to develop an effective follow up strategy tomorrow.
Gregory Hake 
Lack of follow thru is the “kiss of death” for creative accomplishment. All the wonderful ideas and visions in the world mean nothing without the follow thru.I have seen the evidence of this in my own life as I prided myself on being a “big picture” kind of person, which when attached to good habits of bringing these wonderful ideas all the way through to form, would be great. Otherwise, even the greatest of visionaries would find that with the lack of proper nurturing,the seeds of greatness can wither and die. Thank you for bringing this to point in such specific place in time, where those of us who do dare to envision an better world, will actually have the tools and conscious thought to have this manifest in form. Onward and Upward!
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Really excellent and practical post and I enjoyed everyone else’s thoughts as well.
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This is really interesting, and I think that anyone who has been alive for very long has probably experienced this themselves, or at lease has seen it in another person. It is sad, because the people who do this and don’t see that they are doing it think that they are just unlucky. I really want to be in the third group that you described, and I am looking forward to tomorrow’s post!
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Loose ends are a common source of stress. We are either tripping on them, entangled in them or trying to step around them until they finally seem to go away. It is true that if you leave something undone for too long, it will eventually not need to be done at all– opportunity lost by default. This is a great topic. Looking forward to tomorrow’s post.
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It seems that some are more naturally organized than others, although there is much for anyone to learn and practice here. Well organized follow-through is part diligence, part courage and part systemization with a binding element of courtesy and thoughtfulness. Where all of these come together, the stage is set for eliminating much loss, much leakage and many “do-overs.” Much more efficient to patch the holes in a boat than to continue bailing furiously!
Love this line of thought!
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Great subject and crucial to every person and department. Carrying through until a job is completed is a mark of character. Not becoming distracted, losing your initiative or otherwise derailed is also a habit. Look back on your last 10 to-dos, where are you in the completion? In this case we can monitor and if need be correct this self sabotaging weakness. It can’t always be the fault of some unforeseen impediment, at some point we have to “own the habit” so we can change our behavior. As rewards, satisfaction and momentum become a usual occurrence; meager or insufficient results will no longer be a specter threatening the future of every opportunity.
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Follow through is a must! Just like the execution of a good stroke in tennis, a proper follow through completes the stroke and wihout it, whether it be through nervous agitation or carelessness, the ball invariably sails on you or winds up at the net. Follow through allows you to make most of the momentum you’ve generated up until that point, and is the coda that brings the whole movement, your whole effort in whatever it is you are undertaking, to its conclusion.
The challenge for me is to keep multiple projects of varying durations and tempos moving along, knowing when and where to include others as needed, to the point of finishing them. No point in starting something you don’t finish right? Ahh, the art of living!
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excellent points, i’m definitely interested in your thoughts for practical strategy.
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Go Group #3! Can’t wait for the next installment!
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