OK, so you've asked that person in another department to send you a simple update on a project...but nothing happens. So, you call again and follow up with an e-mail. Still no results. You're going to be in that area, so you decide to stop by and the result is..."What was that you needed again?" Does it ever seem like people have to work at it to be this stupid?
Participants agree that this can be one of the most frustrating experiences they have; unfortunately, they seem to be getting more common. Here are a few ways to begin getting a handle on these situations:
 | Take a deep breath, repeat your request, and try to keep your irritation from showing. Becoming upset usually only makes the situation worse. Ask a few questions to ensure the other person knows what you want. Quite often the problem is not incompetence but overwork, lead staffing, poor training, or lack of information. Often, it's a combination of several of these. Being understanding will go further in getting you what you want--and may help the other person better meet the next challenge. |
| If the person works for you, find out if he or she has the proper training to do the job right. Or, does the person need better written instructions? Once you identify the source of the problem, take steps to correct it. |
| Ask yourself whether the person is motivated to do a good job. Most people will do more when they have a reason to do so. |
No comments:
Post a Comment