Doing What You Said You Would

I keep stubbing my toe on the minor annoyance (or sometimes major issue) of other people not doing what they said they would. Some are simple things like not sending information in an email...days pass, weeks pass, month pass...reminders given...still nuthin. Some are specific tasks in on the critical path of a project -- "whoops, just didn't get to it" after the deadline has passed and the project is at risk.

I understand other priorities.
I understand procrastination.
I understand just not wanting to do XYZ.

I struggle with you not telling me if you can't or won't do something.

I struggle with you making me track you down like a bloodhound on a scent.. and then YOU get annoyed that I'm "nagging" you (oh say, 3 weeks after you agreed to do something).

I know I'm a nag. I try not to be, but it's my nature. I try to trust and not follow-up...and it works for a while, so I think "I should just lighten up and give people room to excel" -- but then I get burnt. There I am with a major deliverable dripping down my metaphorical chin....with no way to hit the deadline...my name's on the task, but the issue was upstream.

I just wish people would say: I'm sorry. I will not be able to do this, but I'm telling you early so you can make other plans.

That would be refreshing. I think.