How often do you see the abbreviation ASAP? How does it make you feel? How often do you use it yourself?
ASAP (As Soon As Possible) has been with us since 1955, originating as U.S. Army slang. Over the intervening years it has become cliché, losing what impact it might have once had. Here's a short list of why ASAP is ineffective nowadays.
- It doesn't specify a delivery date. "As soon as possible" is actually a vague statement, leaving delivery to the listener's judgment. What seems a "possible" date to one person might seem very different to someone facing other circumstances.
- It doesn't identify priorities. ASAP doesn't specifically mean "Do this first" or "Do this now." It could legitimately be interpreted as "Fit this into your schedule." If my other tasks seem more pressing, "as soon as possible" might actually mean "tack it onto the end."
- It sets unrealistic expectations. ASAP creates a general sense of tension and unease. Even when an "ASAP" project is finished, people can't tell whether they met a milestone or missed it. And while an "ASAP" project remains uncompleted, they can only worry.
- It sets a negative tone. Using ASAP is basically like saying "I need this in a hurry but can't be bothered to tell you when." It devalues the receiver and his or her time, treating that person as a servant rather than a colleague or team member.
- If everything is needed ASAP, nothing is. Let's assume you have multiple tasks assigned at the same time. If they're all "top priority," that puts them all on the same level. Even if your tasks come one at a time, if every one is "ASAP," the situation becomes like "The Boy Who Cried 'Wolf.'"
So avoid using the term ASAP. Take time to actually set priorities and target dates, to praise people for meeting those goals, and to devote more resources to a task that is falling behind. That's a much more effective strategy for getting things done quickly than just demanding them "ASAP."
—Lester Smith
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