When you are giving an assignment, you are rarely given all the information you need.

If someone is delegating a task to you, the simple fact is that they are busy. Because of that, a lot of people don’t delegate tasks in a way that is exactly… clear.

Often tasks can be thrown at you as the person is walking out of the room, late for a meeting, hopping on another call… etc. This unceremonious hand-off not only leaves you unclear and befuddled going into your task, but stops you from producing the best work that you can, simply because you did not have all of the information.

So speak up! Slow it down, and ask questions.

Obviously they don’t want to slow down, but if they are willing to pause for a second to communicate about the task, you will both be happier in the end.  Use words like ‘quick’ and ‘just two questions’. And have your questions ready and loaded.

Watch this week’s Success Shortie: How to Receive Delegation for a list of questions to have in your back pocket. So the next time you are given a task, even by a bad communicator, you will increase your odds of getting the information you need to hit it out of the park.