Sometimes when management brings in consultants, they demand time and effort from employees with already full schedules. IT workers can't just say no, but they can present trade-offs. Dear Bob …Our management just brought in some high-level (which I think is ManagementSpeak for “overpaid”) consultants. These people haven’t impressed me with their insights or judgment. What they have impressed me with is their willingness to wade through reams of data — mostly financial, but a lot of other stuff besides.That’s fine. The problem is that my colleagues and I are supposed to drop everything whenever they tell us they need more data. We’re supposed to stop our work, figure out what they want, compile it, write it or what-have-you, and explain it to them. What we aren’t supposed to do is let it interfere with our day-to-day responsibilities.We’re close to open rebellion here. Any suggestions?– At Wit’s End Dear AWE …Sure. Handle it the same way everyone should handle every request, which is to remember that “yes” and “no” are the two wrong answers. The right answer is some form of “here’s what it will take.”Some consultants have a well-honed skill which we can call the Projection of Assumed Authority. It’s actually a very important leadership skill. It’s the ability to make requests in such a way that it never occurs to the person on the other end that there’s no authority behind the request. It’s just … a request. I suspect that’s what you’re facing.The consultants are there for a reason, and there’s probably neither a reason nor any payoff for you to try to resist their efforts. What you certainly can do is the same thing you should probably do when anyone in a position of authority interrupts your work, which is to say, “I have an opening on my calendar at 2pm. Why don’t you drop by then and figure out what you need and the best way for me to take care of it?”What you’re doing is making it clear that your time is just as valuable as their time. You’re elevating the interaction to a professional level. You can do the same thing with the consultants. And when they explain what they need, you have every right to tell them you already have a completely full plate, but if they’ll talk with your manager about authorizing you to let some other work slide, you’ll be happy to take care of their request. You’re making it clear that by satisfying their request something else of value will be delayed, and they need to take responsibility for making sure management is in the loop to make the appropriate call.So long as you keep your tone professional and the discussion business-like, this shouldn’t cause you any grief, and will probably enhance your reputation among all concerned.And if it doesn’t work, you’re no worse off than you are today. This story, “What to do when consultants demand time you don’t have to give,” was originally published at InfoWorld.com.– Bob Technology Industry