How would you handle this?
A colleague keeps saying a task should only take five minutes. When you do it, it takes much longer because the internet is slow, information is missing, and you have to find details before you can finish it properly.
The situation
A colleague keeps saying a task should only take five minutes. When you do it, it takes much longer because the internet is slow, information is missing, and you have to find details before you can finish it properly.
Recommended Response
C. Explain what is delaying the task, list the missing information, and give a realistic time estimate.
This changes the conversation from opinion to evidence and helps everyone understand the real work involved.
Context matters. This is a recommendation for the situation described, not a rule for every interaction.
Explore every response
A. Rush the task so it really takes five minutes, even if the result is incomplete.
Finishing quickly but badly can create errors and make you responsible for missing information.
B. Tell the colleague they clearly do not understand the work.
That may be true, but saying it that way can make the discussion personal instead of practical.
C. Explain what is delaying the task, list the missing information, and give a realistic time estimate. (Recommended)
This changes the conversation from opinion to evidence and helps everyone understand the real work involved.
D. Stay quiet and accept the pressure because they might be right.
Silence can make the unrealistic estimate seem accurate and leave you carrying the blame for delays.
E. Ask them to show the exact five-minute process they expect you to use.
This can be useful if they genuinely know a faster method, as long as the tone stays practical.
Why is C the recommended response?
Understanding this situation
A realistic update protects quality and accountability. The issue is not speed alone, but whether the task can be completed properly with the information available.
Another reasonable perspective
Asking for the process can be reasonable if you want to learn a shortcut or expose that the estimate was unrealistic.
Practice. Speak. Improve. — Spekero Playground
