> Because if you promise to deliver it by Tuesday and you run into some problems, you won't be able to fulfill the promise. Instead, if you accept Friday as a deadline, and you finish it by Wednesday, you can deliver it 2 days earlier.
Or you can deliver it on Friday.
I once had a boss that taught me an important lesson. Some other party (business unit or company, I can't remember) asked for some work to be done. He said for me to not work on it right away. I said I could get it done in a couple hours, so why not do it right away? He said it was to manage expectations and not give the other party everything they want right away or they'll come to expect it.
Edit: I also wasn't to start it right away because the work may not get done at all. Some of it was to delay to determine whether the work was even necessary. And some of it was to push back to ensure that we're not ALWAYS giving in to every demand.
Or you can deliver it on Friday.
I once had a boss that taught me an important lesson. Some other party (business unit or company, I can't remember) asked for some work to be done. He said for me to not work on it right away. I said I could get it done in a couple hours, so why not do it right away? He said it was to manage expectations and not give the other party everything they want right away or they'll come to expect it.
Edit: I also wasn't to start it right away because the work may not get done at all. Some of it was to delay to determine whether the work was even necessary. And some of it was to push back to ensure that we're not ALWAYS giving in to every demand.