752 - Working With Unreliable People

Working together is great until someone doesn’t do her job. Find out how to talk about working with unreliable people in this episode.
Slow dialogue: 1:10
Explanations: 3:16
Fast dialogue: 16:18
Paul: What time is it?
Jackie: It’s 2:30. The Cleveland office report should have been emailed to us by the end of the workday yesterday. What are we supposed to do now?
Paul: If we don’t get their report, we’ll have to hold up the production of the annual report and if that happens, somebody’s head is going to roll. This really leaves us in a lurch. Who’s responsible for the report in Cleveland?
Jackie: Noel Simmons.
Paul: Oh, no. I know Noel. I used to work with him in the Columbus office. He was always dropping the ball on his responsibilities and I was always having to cover for him.
Jackie: You must have had the patience of a saint! If he’s such a flake, why is he still working for this company?
Paul: Beats me, but I know we’re in for a long wait if he’s in charge. We have to do something. Get on the phone and see if you can light a fire under him. Unless we keep on him, we’ll never see that report.
Jackie: Okay, I’ll call the Cleveland office right now.
Paul: And Jackie?
Jackie: Yes?
Paul: If he gives you a line or some kind of excuse, let me talk to him.
Jackie: What’ll you do?
Paul: I’ll take him on a trip down memory lane. When I used to work with him, I wasn’t always so patient – or polite.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse