Don’t ask me for next steps.

Next Steps by Gbemi Sagay, renowned Nigerian Artist.

“Awesome. So what are the next steps here?”

Familiar scenes from the wrap-up of a meeting/chat with your team lead, manager, supervisor or really meticulous husband.

The only problem I have with this scenario is that I naturally tend to hate being told what to do. In my head it’s “Don’t ask me for next steps abeg*. Did I tell you I won’t deliver on time?”… and other stories.

But as a new person, I realize that having a reactive response to things like this reflects a lack of introspection and commitment to conscientiousness.

I mean, how on earth is your boss meant to know how and when you’ll provide this deliverable if you don’t communicate?

So, while we are here, let’s use this as a learning opportunity.

Here are two things (plus a bonus point) you can do to get better at sharing next steps:

1. Provide the how and when. Say who you’ll be doing the task with (if applicable), how you’ll get it done and when they can expect you to be done.
2. Keep it succinct. No one wants to listen to or read through 2 paragraphs of next steps. They won’t remember.
3. Bonus tip: get an AI assistant to join your meetings (Zoom AI, Otter, Fireflies). They churn out the most proactive, most succinct next steps based on your conversation. Thank me later.

I’ll end with this quote that I googled specifically for this piece, but that also aligns with the message I have for you:

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
- Viktor E. Frankl

Footnote

• abeg: Nigerian vernacular for “please”. In the context of this piece, it was used in a sarcastic manner.