“They are disorganized” describes a frustrating experience, but it does not say what to change. A useful diagnosis names the missing input, the point of handoff and the cost of waiting.
Describe the failed handoff
Choose a recent example and write down the output that was expected, when it was needed and what arrived. Was the file missing, the version ambiguous, the decision undocumented or the owner unavailable? Ask the other person how the handoff looks from their side. They may be waiting for an input that your team has not supplied. Keep the conversation on a shared process, not a personality label.
Create a small contract
For recurring work, agree on a handoff card: purpose, required input, owner, due time, current document link and a question route. A shared document is useful only if people know which version is authoritative. If the work involves approvals, name who can decide and who must merely be informed. The contract can be a six-line note; a heavy workflow tool is not required.
Make exceptions easy to report
A missed input should trigger an early signal, not a silent last-minute surprise. Set a checkpoint before the real deadline and agree what happens if the input is absent: narrow scope, use an approved substitute or move the date. Review a few handoffs after the change. If failure continues, examine workload and incentives; adding more reminders to an overloaded process will not create capacity.
Try it in a real workweek
A monthly report is delayed because the “latest figures” arrive in email attachments from three teams. The teams publish one dated source sheet, mark its owner and freeze the reporting version on Tuesday. The report writer now knows exactly what to use and when to escalate a missing number.
Do not publish a colleague’s mistakes as a case study without consent. Describe the pattern and protect individual information.
Check the source and the context
For the next step, see this related field guide.