Deadlines, Not Guidelines

Here’s a wonderful phrase my Cape Town pal Paul passed on to me over the weekend.  Ever bemoaned the lack of progress from a pre-sales helper-cum-techie, supposedly helping you with vital prospect prep?  In my case, I was trying to work out how to rush-up a local supplier, who’s idea of timescales and promises didn’t match mine.  (Not uncommon for S Africa unfortunately).

Paul uses this phrase to let the message sink in that a deadline is a deadline.  He reckons it isn’t seen as a rude thing to say, and will see your point of view hit home in a firm, yet polite way: “it’s the deadline, not a guideline….”