Clarify Expectations for Your Work

You and a colleague across the country have agreed: You’ll draft the proposal that’s due Monday, and they’ll edit it. But as you start your work, you realize that there are details you’re not sure about. Will you run an outline by them before you start writing? Does editing mean they’ll insert commas and remove typos, or does it involve substantive changes to content and language? Will they input the edits directly onto the draft or deliver comments over the phone? If they text you at nine p.m. on Sunday with a question, are you supposed to answer right away? Most of these questions are easily reconciled if you’re working in close proximity—you can ask for clarification in passing or have your colleague look ...

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