Stephen Mally Charities, Charity, Executive Fundraising Leadership, Fundraising, Leadership, NFP, Non-profit, Nonprofit, Professionalism

Lack of Planning – The Ripple Effect of Last-Minute Requests

In the fast-paced world of nonprofit work and project delivery, last-minute requests can feel inevitable. Emergencies happen. Priorities shift. But when “urgent” becomes the norm rather than the exception, it can take a toll—not just on your internal team, but also on the external partners and suppliers you rely on. Planning ahead is a leadership skill and exercising this skill makes it easier on everyone.

It’s easy to forget that our colleagues and collaborators are juggling multiple responsibilities and clients too. Every last-minute request can create a ripple effect, causing stress, missed deadlines, and lower-quality outcomes. In this blog post, we explore the real impact of last-minute requests—and why planning ahead is a simple but powerful way to show respect and build stronger working relationships.

1. Burnout Isn’t Just an Internal Problem

When internal team members are regularly asked to drop everything for a last-minute task, it chips away at morale. It sends the message that their time and workload are less important than the immediate crisis. Over time, this kind of pressure leads to burnout, mistakes, and disengagement.

The same goes for your external suppliers—designers, printers, consultants, tech support, and more. They have schedules, client commitments, and production workflows. A sudden request doesn’t just demand their time—it disrupts it.

2. You Compromise Quality When You Rush

Creative and strategic work takes time. When you rush a job—especially complex or creative work—you risk getting an outcome that’s “just good enough” instead of exceptional.

Your external partners want to deliver their best. When they’re given time to plan, review, and polish their work, the result is a better product for everyone. But if they’re constantly firefighting on your behalf, their capacity to deliver high-quality work erodes.

3. It Can Cost More—In Money and Relationships

Last-minute work often incurs rush fees. And even if it doesn’t, it can strain professional goodwill. If you’re consistently putting pressure on your suppliers to turn things around quickly, it may make them hesitant to prioritise your work in the future—or work with you at all.

Respectful lead times help you maintain strong relationships with trusted suppliers. It positions you as a reliable client—one they’ll go the extra mile for when it truly matters.

4. Planning Ahead is Not Just About Deadlines—It’s About Respect

Every professional relationship, whether internal or external, is built on mutual respect. Giving people time to do their jobs properly communicates that you value their skills and their time. It creates space for collaboration, constructive feedback, and shared ownership of the outcome.

When we rush, we often default to “telling” rather than “asking”—undermining the collaborative spirit we need to succeed.

5. Planning Ahead Is a Leadership Skill

Good planning isn’t just a project management function—it’s a leadership trait. Teams that plan ahead foster trust, reduce stress, and deliver consistently better results. They’re better able to adapt when true emergencies arise, because they aren’t already operating at full capacity under constant urgency.

By planning ahead, you help everyone—your team, your partners, and yourself—stay focused, effective, and motivated.

How to Do Better

Set clear timelines: Build in buffer time for feedback, approvals, and potential delays.
Communicate early: Even if a task isn’t urgent yet, give your partners a heads-up so they can plan.
Clarify priorities: If something is urgent, explain why and be transparent about timelines.
Respect working hours: Avoid sending work with short deadlines at the end of the day or right before weekends.
Debrief and reflect: If something became last-minute due to internal delays, review what happened and improve the process.

In Summary

Last-minute requests don’t just impact deadlines—they affect people. Whether it’s your internal team or your external partners, everyone deserves the time and space to do their best work. Planning ahead is one of the simplest ways to demonstrate professionalism, foster trust, and improve outcomes across the board.

So next time you’re tempted to say, “Can we get this by tomorrow?”—pause, and ask: How can we make this easier on everyone involved?

Because thoughtful planning isn’t just efficient—it’s respectful. And that’s good for business, good for morale, and good for impact.