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Ask HN; How do you get people to do stuff?

3 points by diminium ↗ HN
How do you guys get people to do stuff? I can't use much money so I don't have that option. I wanted to start working on a few ideas and everyone I talked to balked at working at it. Even the simplest ideas, I can't get anyone to partner with me. They say stuff like "great idea I'll help" then they walk away into the abyss never to be heard of again.

I also had this problem at work. Writing programs and telling a computer what to do is very easy but I have a hard time getting people to do stuff. I even tried working on fixing the easiest stuff (aka the stuff people complain about day in and day out) but it seems like every time I try to fix that stuff, people try to do everything they can not to fix it and they seem to get angry when I try to fix it!

I don't mind doing everything right now but I'm at a lost on trying to get other people to come on board as my idea grows beyond my abilities.

8 comments

[ 3.0 ms ] story [ 26.9 ms ] thread
danberger
I know this is cliche... but start it yourself. I have found that potential partners are much more impressed with people taking an initiative and getting things done on their own. They want to work with go-getters and leaders, not people sitting on the sidelines and waiting.
michael_dorfman
You've got two different problems here.

In the first situation (i.e., trying to find a partner) the problem isn't "getting people to do stuff", it's "finding the right partner." If the people you are talking to aren't sharing your enthusiasm (and willingness to work), there's not a good fit. Either change the idea, or change the people you approach.

In the second case, at work: here it depends on what your role is. If you are not a manager, it's not your job to get people to do stuff-- just do what you are assigned, and if it seems appropriate, take initiative and do more. Don't worry about what the others are doing. If, on the other hand, you are a manager: well, then you have bigger problems than a simple post to HN is likely to fix.

todojunkie
I believe at work it's difficult, you have a lot of issues (such as politics) at play. Some peoples daily jobs are the things you may be trying to fix/simplify, and they will do everything in their power to not use it in order to keep what they perceive as their job.
adrianwaj
It's not so much about getting people to do stuff as it is about finding someone (or them finding you) who complements you, and you complement them.
waterhole
In the office/work setting, you can only get people to do stuff if you are the boss or a person of 'authority'. If you try to take it upon yourself to fix and solve problems, your co-workers will look down on you because you'll make them look like they aren't working as hard. Most people just do what they're supposed to do to collect a paycheck and get by. If you want to do something great that has an impact, you have to find others who have the same heart. It's likely you won't find someone like that at the office.

When you partner with somebody, you have to first see if they are in it for the money or are they in it to change the world. Most will be in it for the money. It sucks, but the truth is there aren't very many passionate people out there who want to change the world. So don't try to motivate people with money because the ones you need on board in the long-term are those who have passion.

Are you a developer? I am a UI designer so if you want to collaborate on one of your ideas I'd be open to that.

pawn
Check out Dale Carnegie's How to win friends and influence people. I was a skeptic at first, until I actually took the course.

To get someone to do something, you have to make them want to do it. That sounds pretty straightforward, but really, that's what it comes down to.

Others have suggested that at work, being a manager is the most straightforward way to make someone do something. That's because you have the authority to fire them if they don't.

You can influence people without being a manager though. Heard of the carrot and the stick? The carrot dictates that you can convince someone that something good will happen if they do something. "You might get promoted" or "I'll brag about you to the boss" or "I'll give you a cookie". An example of "the stick" would be if you threaten to complain about a peer to their boss that they're not doing their job.

Outside of work it's a lot trickier. If people think you'll do the work for them and they can just benefit, they're only too happy to go that route. You can appeal to their sense of guilt. "Hey Bob, remember last week when you said you'd send me a file? Just wanted to remind you". Appealing to their sense of justice works in some instances. The easiest way is if you can manage to get someone genuinely excited and then get them involved while the iron's hot.

If you get a chance, take the Dale Carnegie course. Read the book at least. http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/06...

diminium
This reply isn't specifically to your post but the combined post to others who keep saying managers have the authority to do everything and thus get people to work.

What happens if your a manager that can't fire someone (e.g. government, tenure, etc)? There's a lot of managers out there who cannot fire people for one reason or a another yet they too manage to get their people to do stuff. To be fair though, a lot of them also have workers who don't listen to them at all but some of them still manage to get workers to do what they say.

md1515
You have to ooze enthusiasm and passion to REALLY get other people motivated to do things with you.

I spoke with a man 8 years my senior with far more experience than me and convinced him to drop everything to work on a project with me. Encourage them, be more than co-workers with them. You have to put as much (if not more) time into your partners as you do your startup if you are the head founder.

Also, there are a lot of flaky people who say "great idea, I'll help" and then do not do anything. That is neither your fault nor anything new. If you truly can't find anyone - just do it yourself. Saves the equity and frustration.