This is gonna sound crazy.. but ....

You ever want to jump out of your traditional mode of operating to try something totally different. .. This is how the calls begin. A few of my "office politics" moments follow a few fairly predictable rules of engagement. In summary it works like this.

1. You must follow up by voicemail after the first few email communications indicating urgency, because if it REALLY was urgent, you would be calling me.

2. When you first reach me live, I must start the conversation with, "Oh I know this is gonna sound crazy, but I am on an urgent call and thought you were someone I needed to talk to.. so I need to call you back."

3. Go back to the last email, do a reply to all urgent stakeholders awaiting your response that you and I traded messages and that YOU will call me back when YOU get a moment.

4. Yep it really still is important here YOU come on the phone. I will politely let you tell me everything again as if it is the first time we discussed it. We will then talk in vague details about responsibilities, and why this one is not something YOU should be calling ME about.

5. I will then point you to what I know are YOUR responsibilities. YOU will then re-emphasize why you need my help, and will reinforce a belief that if we really talk through this, we can resolve this pretty easily.

6. I will then ask who YOUR management is, rather than agreeing to participate. I will reluctantly agree to check disposition on my responsibility without committing to solve your request. I will agree to follow up. I will not agree to participate.

7. I will then do a second reply to all, this time copying in the people who I am tagging to help explain my position and why it's not "OUR" problem.