Dealing with co-worker...

[kbeitel]

I am working with a co-worker and am having some difficulties with some issues. I am not blaming anyone, I just want some answers to get a point of view from him. I am preparing for a meeting with him and will be posing the question "How can we improve upon the present situation to help work this problem out?" From previous experience with him I am expecting the question that I asked to be fired directly back at me.

The quick question I have is, "How do you respond to the question HOW CAN THIS BE IMPROVED? if you were the one asking it initially and it is just fired back at you?"

[Angela]

You might feel powerful if you build suggestion for improvement into your initial sally:
"There's an issue here that I feel you and I could make it work more smoothly; I have some ideas that might work well for both of us, and would like to hear your ideas as well. What do you think?"

[kbeitel]

Angela,

Thank you very much for your reply. I will have to think of some more alternative solutions in addition to two that I have so that I might be more prepared. This approach will work very well if I can maybe have a solution that he will accept. I think if I have more that a couple solutions he might be more open.

[Joel Chue]

Rephrase your question to :

"I've been thinkng for some time and yet to find any answer to it. How can WE improve on it?"

[kbeitel]

I would like thank you for responses to my posting. I had my meeting with my co-worker on Tuesday and it went quite well.

I guess sometimes when I am anxious and want to be prepared, I am more likely to try to look at what is the worst that can happen and prepare for the fallout rather than driving forward and looking for a opportunity. (I'll have to work on that...)