Getting people to do things at work...

[bananafanana]

On the whole, most of my relationships with work colleagues are very good. I pretty much get on with everyone and am pretty good at getting people to do things/am quite persuasive!

However...

There are about three individuals in my organisation who consistently hold me up. Invariably, they do not come back to me on questions until I have chased them four or five times over periods of up to 10 days. I always make requests ahead of time (i.e. not a 'last minute larry') and always get back on queries very quickly or push them along to the next stage where I can. Now I work in a project environment so I am very used to prodding people repeatedly to get things done. Most of the team need a few prods but these three pretty much take the biscuit! Much as I would like to let rip I am always calm and collected - probably too much! Other people complain about them too but nothing is ever done. All three have been around since dinosaurs roamed...

So, other than stick a rocket up their backside, does anyone have any advice on how to deal with these muppets?! I am very tempted to dish out the same treatment in return to see if they like a taste of their own medicine, however, I am very customer focused so am not actually sure I can sink to their level!

All advice gratefully received...

A few ideas:

Praise and thanks when its done on time.

Acknowledging that you see they are busy and that your priorities arent always the same as theirs.

Honest 2 way conversations!

Sharing the project plan, and asking for their views on it/checking their commitment to it (rather than just giving it for info).

Hope this helps.

If fiventhree's approach doesn't work, get nasty. Get your line manager to escalate to their line manager, and then up the chain until it's resolved. They are affecting your performance/output, which affects everyone in your hierarchy, so the issue needs to be resolved at a higher level if you cannot get cooperation at a lower level.

I think it is better to clearly set them a deadline for each response/piece of work you need from them. If they miss it, then you can point out the impact of that on the rest of the project to everyone involved. Making them accountable for delays is the best and fairest way to deal with them.

IMHO getting nasty is an end game as you need to work with these people in the future.

Why is going through the line management chain "getting nasty"? Your manager is there to support you and that may mean escalating the problem and it sounds like you have tried everything with these people.

Also, if everyone talks about these individuals and no-one lets their manager know there is a problem - then when do they get a chance to try and improve?

I know if it were me I would prefer to know if I wasn't performing my role properly and be given an opportunity to address it.

I am assuming that in your organsiations managers are supportive and not out and out bullies!

Have you considered taking the nicey-nicey (otherwise known as passive aggressive) approach?

Send them your request as usual, send them the reminder, and when that's ignored go to their desk, perch on the edge of it and say loud enough for others to hear:

"I just wanted to check you're ok, and not struggling too much with your workload at the moment? It's just that I had to chase you 5 times for the work on the previous project, and you haven't even replied to my second request for this project. If it's all getting too much I could speak to management on your behalf about getting some time-management training for you, do you think that would help? Or do you feel this project is simply too demanding for your skill set - I'm just concerned, you can talk to me you know..."

(remember to use softest and most concerned voice, and try not to laugh!)

If that doesn't get them responding to you a bit quicker then definitely go up the chain of command because they clearly need a big kick up the butt.