Print This
Email ThisWe have all been through it. You need something from a team or an operating group and you are referred from one person to the next until it’s time to go home and you still don’t have what you need. You have sent email reminder after email reminder and still no response. Here are six ways I have found for young professionals to break through the office runaround:
Conventional
1. Rock the Mic. I know this is basic but it’s surprising how few people actually use their desk phones. Don’t be shy when you need something, call them up! And if you they refer you to someone else, dial them in via conference! This way you can’t get stuck in a game of ping pong. Keep bringing people on to the call until you get what you need, you are helping the company so don’t feel like you are bothering anyone.
2. Chase them Down on Foot. It’s easy to ignore an email or a instant message, it’s far harder to avoid someone who comes to talk to you during meeting passing times. Many people come back to their desks between 30 minute meetings like passing time in high school, they can hardly turn down your offer to walk with them to their next meeting.
3. Add a Reminder to your Email. Outlook has the functionality to add a pop-up reminder to any email, send one along with your urgent requests so that people get a friendly reminder the first thing the next morning without any manual interaction from you..
Unconventional
4. Grab a Drink. Often times the busiest people don’t even have time to socialize so they are open to blending work and leisure. Try scheduling a meeting after work in “Conference Room B (for Bar)” and relax a little bit while you talk through what you need. Not only do you get the person’s undivided attention (well you may need to share a bit with Mr.Miller) but, they won’t see you as just another nagging task. You may even turn it into an opportunity to network as well. (Click here for happy hour tips)
5. Drop off a Hard Copy and a Pen. In our increasingly paperless world we often forget that non-Gen Yers may like to review and work through things the old fashioned way: on dead trees. Grab a new read pen, print off your document and drop it off personally. I find this is 10x more effective and then they approve the electronic version faster to boot!
6. Leverage Alternative Media. This method is most effective with fellow Gen Y employees because they use the technology more but, try reaching out through alternative media. Send them a Facebook message if you are close enough saying “Hey I know this is work related but, I know you really know the XXXX system, could you help with…”. Even text messages work sometimes but, be careful not to intrude too much, this option can be a bit dicey and should not be used unless you know the person well and know they won’t mind.
For more timely, relevant, and engaging articles, subscribe to Brazen Careerist.
Brandon, this is a problem I’ve see in several companies, so thanks for the tips! I especially like #3, because it doesn’t require an extra step for you nor do you have to feel like you’re nagging. But I wonder… if you use Outlook and your colleague uses a different email program (which some of my coworkers do), would this still work? I’m guess that it may not.