Tips sheet: Getting results

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GETTING WORK OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE CAN BE ONE OF THE MORE STRESSFUL ELEMENTS OF OUR JOB. BUT A FEW SIMPLE TECHNIQUES, AND GENTLE PRESSURE PUT ON AT THE RIGHT TIME, CAN CERTAINLY HELP.

Generally speaking, people don't get work done for us because there is less stress doing something else. People usually choose the line of least stress. It is not because they don't want to help, it's usually because they want to survive the pressure.

The trick is to use gentle but firm pressure at the right time, and send out the signal that if the work is not done, stress levels could be very high indeed because you will want a thorough, time consuming review with them. See if you can spot the pressures in the bullets below:

Here are a few tips you could try:

Be a friend. Chat about non work stuff for a bit. People do favours for friends.

When asking someone to do something, ask if you can do something to help them.

Follow up a conversation with an email stating “work agreed, date due and progress check conversation time”. Make sure that a 'progress checking' conversation happens.

If you ask a few people to contribute, publish a list of who is doing what and by when it will be done.

Bring people together in a corridor meeting or phone conference so that they are publicly accountable to each other.

Please email us for more information or contact Jeremy Howells on +44 (0) 192 685 9060.

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