Ya know, one thing I don't understand is people who have no integrity in the work they do. I mean, if a person promises that work will be complete on Feb. 30th, then, it should be. If you can't do it, then don't commit to it. How simple can it be?
Now, I know things come up. But that's life. Things ALWAYS come up. It doesn't mean that you get a “Get out of your responsibilities free” card. Certainly, serious things are acceptable, within reason. Death is a great excuse to missing a deadline, especially if it's your death causing the hold up. However, even that has to be managed.
If someone has 3 months to complete a 2 week task, and waits until the last month to try to do it, then they deserve to be slapped around if they meet the deadline. Hello! Proactive much? Do the job in the first month when you've got 2 months to spare and you're good to go. Done. No pressure. Happy client. Move on. The other way, you're left looking like a moron that can't get a simple 2 week task done in 3 months. Pressure. Unhappy client. Withheld payment. Never ending arguments. Uugh.
I'm aware of two situations that are like this to varying degrees. I'm involved (at least peripherally) in both. In both, if people had just done their jobs correctly in a prompt time frame, none of the crap that is currently transpiring would have taken place. Of course, this makes opportunities for me (or other responsible professionals) to swoop in, excel, be the hero, etc. However, it's not without pain as well. I still have to deal with the aforementioned moron. I still have to figure out what the point of the task is, what has been completed and how, and how to get it done.
Yes, it's kinda cool being the hero, but even in the movies, the hero gets grazed by a bullet occasionally on the way to getting the girl/treasure/etc.
Uugh...another day, another dollar (barely)!