Helping coworkers

Not sure how it usually happens in most work settings but Say a coworker/someone from another department asks you to do something for them…they’re not your manager or boss, but “equal”…do you do it?

This happened to me at my job a few months back, someone from another dept asked me to do something for her–I said that I would get to it when I’m not busy with my own work (which is true, I was swamped with my own work to do). She asked one of the ppl from my team to help her even though I had needed him for something in my office–she made a big stink about that.

On one hand, I can see the positives of helping someone on their assignemnt–it shows you’re a team player and work well with others etc.

but on the other hand, if it’s someone I don’t report to, why should my work suffer (either by me dropping it and helping them, or letting someone from my team whom I needed at that particular time)… or is that being too egotistic?

Anyways, the incident is done and over with and I have no regrets about the way I handled it…so was just wondering what’s the “correct” way to do it is, and if anyone came across it and how did they handle it?

Re: Helping coworkers

The other person was being overly aggressive. Just curious - did she send up getting your team member to do her task at your expense or did you speak up to ensure your team was not being taken advantage of?

Re: Helping coworkers

Yes, he helped her with her task, but hes normally nice like that. and my work didn't suffer either, hence why I didn't regret how I handled it.

Re: Helping coworkers

Good thing is documentation.
I would handle it this way:

I will ask the person to send me the details of work in an email so that I can put it in my "to-do" list but advise him/her that I will only get to do this once I am done with the work I'm responsible for. Reply to the email with same. If possible and it very much depends on the nature of the task, ask the person to include the person I report to in the same email conversation ;-)