For the usual candidates I either keep detailed notes, or make sure I can quickly find an earlier conversation (chat, email, whatever).
So in that case I'm then just answering "As we've discussed on 14.04. at 13:39, 17.04 14:30 and 20.04 at 14:15 already..."
They typically get the hint that when I'm capable of remembering in detail when we discussed it they maybe should make an effort of remembering what we discussed.
These bastards tend to refuse to put anything down in writing and insist on calling or meeting face to face because "it's faster". But we all know it's so they have no accountability on what they say.
Then the trick is to immediately do the “follow up” email to recap what was discussed. And CC some folks who weren’t there.
Oh but they will neither confirm, nor correct you and then they will say that the recap was all wrong because reasons and they never even saw your email because too busy doing work or something
But that's a good idea, actually, I'll try that in my team interactions
The important part is to include something alongs the lines of "Please let me know if this is not correct by xx/yy/zzzz, otherwise we will proceed on the assumption it is.' That way their ignoring your message becomes agreement and it is much harder for them to gi back on it.
Use their inaction to get the result you need.
Just send an email afterwards with the meeting notes. CC all participants and/or relevant people. They almost never contend the notes, and if they do, I invite more people to the meeting next time so they can’t pull that again.
Lack of accountability goes both ways, though...
In the enterprise everyone is equal but some are more equal than others. Not everyone can benefit from that lack of accountability and not everyone wants to, btw.
For the usual candidates I either keep detailed notes, or make sure I can quickly find an earlier conversation (chat, email, whatever).
So in that case I'm then just answering "As we've discussed on 14.04. at 13:39, 17.04 14:30 and 20.04 at 14:15 already..."
They typically get the hint that when I'm capable of remembering in detail when we discussed it they maybe should make an effort of remembering what we discussed.
These bastards tend to refuse to put anything down in writing and insist on calling or meeting face to face because "it's faster". But we all know it's so they have no accountability on what they say.
Then the trick is to immediately do the “follow up” email to recap what was discussed. And CC some folks who weren’t there.
Oh but they will neither confirm, nor correct you and then they will say that the recap was all wrong because reasons and they never even saw your email because too busy doing work or something
But that's a good idea, actually, I'll try that in my team interactions
The important part is to include something alongs the lines of "Please let me know if this is not correct by xx/yy/zzzz, otherwise we will proceed on the assumption it is.' That way their ignoring your message becomes agreement and it is much harder for them to gi back on it.
Use their inaction to get the result you need.
Just send an email afterwards with the meeting notes. CC all participants and/or relevant people. They almost never contend the notes, and if they do, I invite more people to the meeting next time so they can’t pull that again.
Lack of accountability goes both ways, though...
In the enterprise everyone is equal but some are more equal than others. Not everyone can benefit from that lack of accountability and not everyone wants to, btw.