Updated September 2026: in 2019 I was assigned a two-week opportunity with a delivery contact I had repeatedly objected to working with, who expected offshore to do everything. I have rewritten it into advice on working with a colleague who pushes all the work onto you.
The opportunity ran for over two weeks, and I had to work with a delivery contact I found nagging and who expected the offshore team to do everything. I had raised issues about working with him and had sometimes cut off his suggestions. This time, there was no alternative.
Why do some colleagues push all the work offshore?
Sometimes because of their own workload, sometimes because roles were never defined, and sometimes out of habit. Offshore teams are often seen as the doing team, and without clear boundaries the split drifts.
How do you set a fair division of work?
- Agree roles at kickoff: who owns the solution, estimates, client contact and review.
- Write the split into the plan and share it with your manager.
- Ask for inputs by date: "Please send the delivery approach by Wednesday."
Is cutting off suggestions a good strategy?
It rarely works well. It creates friction and can be escalated as uncooperative. Better to acknowledge suggestions and test them against the client's needs: "Does this address requirement 5?" Irrelevant ideas fall away without a fight.
What if the colleague keeps nagging?
Move to scheduled updates: a short status at fixed times answers most follow-ups before they are asked. Keep communication in writing, so requests and replies are on record.
When should you escalate?
When the agreed split is ignored and the workload becomes unsustainable. Bring the plan, the missed inputs and the hours spent to your manager.
What if you raised objections before and were overruled?
Accept the decision for this opportunity and make it work, but keep a factual record. If the same problems recur, your earlier concerns and the new evidence together make a stronger case for different pairings in future.
How do you get through two weeks?
Focus on the deliverable, not the person. Clear roles and written updates make a difficult colleague manageable for a fixed period.