In business, what are some ways to get other people to perform tasks when they say they are too busy?

Answer 1

If they really are too busy, you should respect that, and let them support you as soon as they can, if it's their responsibility to do so. So, there's not much you can do unless you are their boss. You are simply going to create ill will if you try, and then they will really drag their feet just to show you that you aren't in control of them.

When I was super busy at work, on heavy overtime, and was severely understaffed and having what I called 'hair on fire' days, I really was too busy to address some requests immediately. I had to organize my requirements by the power level of the person requiring the information. If I had a problem figuring it out, which I normally did not, I'd ask my supervisor - "what are my priorities?" - and he'd tell me.

Bottom line, and no disrespect intended - if you aren't someone's supervisor, and the person being asked is a normal adult with a little backbone, they can politely tell you to shove it. You have a right to ask, and they have a right to say "an immediate problem on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part".

That being said, your best option is to tell them, "nothing personal, but I have a high priority task that I need done even though I am not your supervisor, so I need to go to your supervisor and request that he restructure your priority list to accommodate my needs". I have even suggested this to people when I told them no. I'd say - "No offense taken, and I'd love to help you, and I will eventually, but here are my list of obligations, and the due dates set by my supervision. If you want something out of order, you go talk to them."
I've had this type of interchange go up two levels when my supervisor backed me up, and the asker had to go to their supervisor. That's management's responsibility - to delegate, prioritize, and balance tasking. If I lost the priority battle, I would also inform whoever else's task had slipped, tell them why, and they could be frustrated at the person forcing the issue as well. (Another reason not to pull chains, by the way)

In the hopefully unlikely event that you are referring to people at your same level to whom you are trying to offload work - I have had this happen, and I deal with it in different ways depending on my mood. Sometimes I tell the to do their own work, and sometimes I say "sure", then I put it on top of a cabinet for consideration in a couple of years, maybe. It usually only happens once, regardless. Hopefully this isn't what you meant.

Remember - you reap what you sow. You get what you pay for, and if you want it bad - you'll probably get it bad.


Good luck.
Kevin

Answer 2

Threaten them with their job, grease their palm, pop by every 10 mins or so to check to see if they are really "busy." Believe me, most times, people say there busy, but they just don't want to do what they are asked.

Answer 3

The busiest people are the ones who get things done. There really is such a thing as working SMARTER instead of HARDER. Resourceful people find a way to get things done, no matter how busy they are !!!

Answer 4

If you are the boss just say it needs to be done, and done by?