Please send me the financial records for FY 06 so I can complete the audit.Coworkers may withhold information for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they’re too busy. Or maybe they don’t know the processes and procedures for passing it on. Or perhaps they’re forgetful. Worse, they may be trying to get in the way of your professional advancement because they’re jealous or want that position for themselves. No matter, you need to maintain as professional and objective a stance in getting that information from them—not once, but on an ongoing basis. Here’s how.
Please send me the financial records for FY 06 so I can complete the audit.
I need to have updates so that I can revise the policy procedure.
Let me know about the pricing changes so that we can give the customer accurate information.
Please forward the project plan so that I can assign the right people to each role and responsibility.
We must have the missing data if we are to complete the project.
If you don’t send the meeting notes by 6:00, I cannot complete the presentation.
The if-then structure works well here:
If we are to get the full budget, then you must send us …
If we are to make our deadline, then be sure to supply …
If our team is to work cohesively, then you must keep us updated.
Or use the if-then structure in reverse:
If you provide the updated manual, then we can expedite the process.
If you get us directions for the new tool, then we can communicate faster.
If you tell us the plans in advance, then we can prepare the right documentation.
Have a long, dreary history with withholding coworkers? Does everyone suffer as a result? Then it’s helpful to use a sentence structure that goes something like this:
Here are a few examples:
(action) Since you omitted two pages on last year, (outcome) we didn’t get the grant, (solution) so this time, please provide everything we need.
(action) Because you didn’t get us the complete financials, (outcome) we missed the deadline last year. (solution) So please send all six statements by Friday.
Take a look at these examples:
Our customers had to wait in long lines last week because you didn’t notify us that you were assigned to the other branch. Please let us know about changes immediately so that we can fill your slot.
We have been late on four of the five reports because you didn’t get us your section until after the deadline. Please send everything we need by the fifteenth so that we won’t continue to repeat the situation.
As I mentioned in the meeting on Friday, …
Twice last week, on Tuesday and Friday, I left you voice mails about sending the …
As you probably recall from our discussion at the staff meeting, you need to supply …
Tony and I contacted you three times last week for the …
As I requested in my e-mails on February 10, 12, and 15, we need to receive …
In the meeting on Monday and the follow-up on Tuesday, you agreed to provide …
Even though I e-mailed you reminders every day since, you still haven’t complied.
Give a policy or procedure that says the coworker must send you the information:
As our communications flowchart clearly indicates, …
On page 62 of our Policies and Procedures Manual, it states that you must inform us of …
In the meeting, our boss said that you should get us the …
If you look on the project plan, you’ll see that your role is to keep us informed of …
Since all the data flow through your office, the organizational chart show that you are responsible for …
Quick tip: Remember to e-mail your requests for information even if you had a conversation about the requests first. That way, should the slowdowns from withholding coworkers create project breakdowns, you’ll be protected.