Kate
Nothing just gets squeezed in
The conflict
“Can you just squeeze this in?” Kate’s manager kept dropping new tasks on her desk. Never mind what was already on her plate. Never mind the deadlines it would push back. So Kate kept missing them.
The strategy
Kate stopped absorbing it. She keeps a clear overview of every task, with the details and the deadline. Every time her manager drops by with something new, she asks one question: “If I take this on, which deadline can move?” The choice goes back where it belongs. And so does the responsibility.
The result
Her manager now sees it for himself: nothing just gets squeezed in. Fewer “just do this quickly” tasks land on her desk. And Kate hits her deadlines again.