RE: Seeking counsel - yet another difficult work situation (very long!)

Subject: RE: Seeking counsel - yet another difficult work situation (very long!)
From: "Jones, Donna" <DJones -at- zebra -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 11:43:22 -0600


I have to add a tactic that works for me to get information out people--even uncooperative or simply unresponsive people. I'm probably very annoying at times, but I get results. :-)

I simply seek people out until I catch them at their desks or in the hallway, and I blatantly interrupt what they're doing (forget this politely begging for their time stuff!). I make a joke out of being pushy ("Hi! You made the mistake of sitting down at your desk where I could find you. Can I bug you for a few minutes?"). I make sure that I have one or two pointed questions to ask, so I'm not just wasting their time, and I don't leave until I have 1) the information that I need, 2) a promise for them to send me information and when I can expect it, or 3) the name of another person to seek out. People are usually too polite to just dismiss me outright, and I'm not the type to leave until I'm finished, so they have to stop and deal with me.

After you do this to the same person for a few times, they start getting you what you need just to keep you from seeking them out and pestering them. It's that squeaky wheel getting the oil thing. If you approach people nicely, smile a lot, and thank them for their time and help, they don't usually complain much. When it's appropriate, I send e-mail thank yous to people and CC their project/team leaders or supervisors. Everyone needs a pat on the back, and that pat usually feels nicer when someone else knows about it.

Hmmm. Whom shall I annoy today? :-)

Donna

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