How do you motivate a co-worker?

I have a co-worker that is sluggish. We are both supposed to perform the same tasks but she is so slow that I end up picking up the slack. I know, this is enabling...so I said something to her on Friday. I told her that "we" have to speed up our times cuz our sups in Madison are watching that. Well, she brushed that off and continued on her snail pace. She won't lift a finger for anyone else unless she's asked to by our sup. We are supposed to work as a team and our sup has kinda put this on me to put a bomb under her. This is just "her", I know she is not intentially backing off work but I cannot keep up this pace of doing extra. When I spoke to her on Friday, she was very defensive. I told my sup that she needs to talk with her cuz she won't hear me. Any suggestions? This is one of the reasons I asked how to be more assertive on an earlier post. I tried my best with her but I feel I could be more effective. HELP!! Alice

Alice, In the first place, it's not your responsibility to handle an HR issue. If the supervisor is pawning it off on you, that's puts you at risk. Once you've alienated a co-worker that's a peer, you can't get any cooperation. Supervisor needs to step up to the plate.  You need to do your share and take about 10% of the one that isn't cooperating.  That means you are giving 110%.  That's as much as anyone can expect from you. I wish you the best but you are being dumped on. Janet

Hi Alice....I am with Janet on this one. Don't let your supervisors problem become your own.  If the supervisor insists I would let him/her know that you will be taking it further up the laddar. The supervisor is the real problem here!! He/she isn't doing their job. This is not your responsibility. Hugs, connie d

Thanks so much ladies....I kinda thought that but my sup sits and hides in her office most of the shift not wanting to make waves. I'm going to talk to my sup and say that she needs to correct this for everyone's benefit. I'll cut my load back alittle to 110% and see how that goes. thanks so much, Alice

I agree that is certainly not your job, and I would nicely and politely tell your supervisor this... "I am not comfortable counseling a fellow co-worker about her performance. It is a supervisors job to counsel subordinates about their performance." I would also consider telling the sluggish one that your were told to try and light a fire under her... and let her figure out what to do about it...

Thanks Marc! Alice

Sounds to me that co-worker is not the only lazy one....The "sup" is the one you need to be assertive with...but then you know that. Love, Marti

Yes Marti, this sup IS lazy. She really doesn't do anything at work but pay her bills online, shop online and take cigarette breaks. BUT, she is loved by the sups in Madison and they won't do anything about it. I am going to speak to her tho and tell her she needs to talk with staff that are causing problems instead of pushing off her duties on others. (I'll be alittle more polite tho). It's politics like at most places.  Thanks for your help. Alice