Three people are asked to prepare a report. Each assumes somebody else is gathering the figures, and everyone begins editing the introduction. You can spend a lot of time on a shared task without knowing which part you are expected to finish.
List the next actions together. Give each one an owner and a date, then identify the person who combines the pieces. Ask who makes the final decision when the contributors disagree.
Keep your commitment visible
State the part you can complete and flag anything that depends on another person's input. If that input arrives late, report the effect on your date rather than silently absorbing the delay. The group can then revise the plan with the relevant facts.
When you finish your part, send it to the agreed place and say what it contains. Keep responsibility for correcting your contribution, while directing questions about other sections to their owners. If the arrangement changes, update the shared list so nobody works from an earlier version.
