Working with people is hard, but making them prioritize your work is even harder. Hence, one of the key skills you have to build is getting things done by others.

Ensuring things get done without nagging, micromanaging, or offending the people is an art. I have led many cross-functional work at Practo, Unacademy, and Google. Here are a few actionable insights

1. be empathetic to others’ priorities, as they might have competing tasks
2. phrase your follow-up messages in a way that shows you value their time

A well-written message signals that you’re not just asking for a status, but also offering support to make progress, something like

""" Hi [name], just checking if there’s an update on [task]. I know you’re busy, so let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. """

3. space out follow-ups, and give people enough breathing room to act
4. build strong relationships with your peers

Remember, people naturally prioritize tasks for those they respect and enjoy working with. Invest in building these relationships by acknowledging their contributions in public forums like meetings.

When I was a Platform Engineer at Practo, on day 1, I was told to be friends with everyone, and a few months later, I realized why. I learned that people will help you, not because they have to, but because they value your partnership. This stays true in any role.

5. escalations should feel like collaboration, not confrontation.

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a task gets stuck. In such cases, start with direct communication and clarify expectations and blockers with the individual.

If things still don’t move, loop in a senior, but frame the escalation not as a complaint but as a team effort to unblock the work. For example,

""" Hi [senior], I wanted to bring this to your attention since [task] is crucial for [goal]. [Name] and I have discussed this, but we’re still facing [specific issue]. Could you help us figure out the next steps? """

6. people do what gets tracked, so make sure that regular status checks are brought up during common meetings, or periodically over async platforms like Slack and Teams.

But irrespective of all the above points, there is one thing that matters the most. After someone helps, don’t just move on; thank them meaningfully. Public appreciation in a team call, a quick Slack shoutout, or even a private note goes a long way.

When people feel valued, they’re more likely to go out of their way to help you or prioritize your work.