Bragging About Nagging

Nagging usually has negative connotations: a repetitious pestering or request stereotypically attributed to women. But a behavior only becomes nagging when the person to whom a request is directed repeatedly ignores that request.  So we could use the word “reminding.” But even dressed up in fancy attire, most people view repeated reminders as nagging, and that’s okay.

When someone ignores your repeated request to complete a task, I suggest you enthusiastically become a nag.  It works.

Most vendors I deal with in my business are reliable which is why I have continued to use them.  A few, however, are not as dependable.  Maybe they are first-timers, or hired by another party, but for whatever reason – they are late.  Here is my checklist for those situations.

1. Check in early – at least three days before the work is due, to “see how it’s coming.”
2. Contact them the day before the work is due to confirm the exact time the work will be completed “tomorrow.”
3. If it is not ready by the exact time promised, keep reminding them.
4. If you haven’t yet gotten a satisfactory result, continue to contact them daily, or fire them immediately and hire a replacement. If someone is late the first time, they’ll probably be late again.  Keep in mind the People Tool of “Patterns Persist.”
5. If it isn’t someone you can fire, put them on your “remind four times a day list.” Contact them by phone, email, text, and anything else you can use – four times a day.  Seven am, ten am, two pm, and five pm.  No one has ever held out on me for longer than a day and a half of nagging, which I call “focused reminders.”

You will soon earn a (deserved) reputation as a “hard ass” or something even more colorful.  Wear that badge with pleasure.  Vendors may grumble, but if you use their services again they are likely to be on time.

I once contacted a family law attorney who was handling a divorce that involved young children.  Prompt action was essential for their well-being.  When the attorney had not responded for two days I called, emailed, and texted everyone in her office – from the receptionist to her law partner.  Eight people total.

The attorney called me within minutes of my final contact.  She was upset and asked me to never do that again.

I said, “Sure.  Happy to oblige.  As long as your work is completed by the agreed upon time.”

It’s important to never back off your insistence on timely performance.  Consistent nagging today should make it unnecessary in the future.

I’m happy to report that I’ve been writing this blog for about ten years, and I’ve never missed a deadline.

After all, I know where I live and I’d hate to have to wake up early in order to nag myself.

Alan