How do I get soldiers of higher rank than myself to listen to me when assigned to a detail that I am in charge of?

When I was on active duty, the platoon sergeant (E-7) would often task me with getting the getting the unit ready for an airborne operation -- making sure all the equipment was issued and that PCIs/PCCs were done. And, I had a lot of squad leaders (E-6s) who had to execute. As the RTO (E-4), the squad leaders didn't really have to listen to me . . . . Over the years as I've worked in company, battalion, and brigade TOCs, the same situation has come up again and again. I didn't have the rank to give an order. Yet, I needed to ensure certain things were done.

What I found very early on was that a dry erase board was my most potent tool. If you're "in charge" of something, you don't necessarily need to give orders to people who outrank you. You just have to write the tasks that need to be performed on a status board and simply indicate complete/incomplete with red and green colors. It's amazing how quickly people carry out tasks without ever being told to do so just to change the colors under their name on the status board from red to green.

You can adopt the same principle through powerpoint slides and email. Develop the tracker and send it out and then denote progress as things get done. I think you'll find that people who wouldn't do things you asked will suddenly do them without being asked simply because it's on a tracker. And, if they fail to do so, your superior can see the issue and address it directly.

SGT (Join to see) - Sounds like you work in the Protocol Office or something. Regardless, it also sounds like your office is tasked with coordinating support for events and rely on detailed troops to accomplish the required tasks.

The problem appears to me to be your understanding of who is in charge. The OIC/NCOIC of the detail is in charge of the work that detail does, while you are responsible for ensuring they are providing the support required. The support request should dictate that a supervisor will be provided with the detail (although that is a no-brainer for any unit sending support troops). Your coordination should be with that supervisor and, if you have problems with him/her, it should be brought up to your chain of command to deal with. If, as you state, it occurs even after getting your supervisor involved, let him/her know about that. You should not be put in a position where this is a problem, however, if everyone understands his/her authority and responsibility, problems such as you describe should not exist.

I have provided support troops to a great many activities. They work for the supervisors I send with them, and nobody else. Having said that, I expect that supervisor to do his/her best to accomplish the task IAW the desires of the person/office we are supporting.

Look for the most senior of the group, pull him/her aside and give this person a mission brief and put this person in charge, to include a written list of tasks to complete so they can be check off when done. This way you're using the chain of command and making this person feel like he/she is doing a leader's job. You'll find this works pretty well.