6 ms·

Because it doesn't always work. I had someone try to get me fired because she came into my office and said "do you have a minute?" and I said (because I was le

Because it doesn't always work. I had someone try to get me fired because she came into my office and said "do you have a minute?" and I said (because I was legitimately busy with something important) "No". She was enraged that I didn't drop everything I was doing to listen to whatever problem she had, and went to complain to my manager, blithering about rudeness, and me not being a "team player". Since my manger was the one who had assigned me the important work, he told her in polite manager-speak that I had done the right thing and that she should try again later if she still needed my help.

chrisco255 8y ago
It generally does work, unless they're psychopaths. Who would turn down a reasonable request to focus on work? You could also offer up another time to continue the conversation.
- jhurliman 8y ago
  The same type of person that would be that inconsiderate of other people’s time in the first place. For many people that are that bad at reading social cues it won’t be interpreted as a reasonable request.
  - chrisco255 8y ago
    That's not even true. They may be bad at reading social cues (ie face expressions) but would respond to direct communication about the need to focus on work.
clort 8y ago
In fact there was a guy at my previous job who would be much like that. The person who had been doing my job said he had had a word with his (and my) boss and asked him to come in one day and pointedly ask him to do something. Boss threw in a bonus and after he had gone out asked mr chatty to stop bothering him as he had so much work to get on with.
mevile 8y ago
Someone asking you if you have a minute for something work related vs someone chatting your ear off about non-work related things isn't the same thing.
- g051051 8y ago
  My response was to > Why not be honest and direct?"
- pdimitar 8y ago
  You are right, it is not. The interruption and the resulting loss of productivity because of it however is the same in either case. Focused work without interruption must be respected and enforced when needed. If you are bored at work, go ask for more work to do, I'd say. Or do as I did when I was still in offices many years ago: politely and without raising your voice just ask the room directly: "Anyone up for 10 minutes coffee break?". If nobody would respond then I would still go at a balcony drinking my coffee alone. Nobody is mandated to listen to my blabber and I understood and respected that. It's rather amazing how many people didn't though.
dawidw 8y ago
In my opinion, saying just "no" it's quite harsh. That can create distance instead of building team (respect, trust, good manners etc.). In such situations I usually say something like "I'm very sorry but I'm extremely busy. Could you send me email with your issue, please? I'll come back to you as soon as I solve the problem".

chrisco255 8y ago

It generally does work, unless they're psychopaths. Who would turn down a reasonable request to focus on work? You could also offer up another time to continue the conversation.

jhurliman 8y ago
The same type of person that would be that inconsiderate of other people’s time in the first place. For many people that are that bad at reading social cues it won’t be interpreted as a reasonable request.
- chrisco255 8y ago
  That's not even true. They may be bad at reading social cues (ie face expressions) but would respond to direct communication about the need to focus on work.

clort 8y ago

In fact there was a guy at my previous job who would be much like that. The person who had been doing my job said he had had a word with his (and my) boss and asked him to come in one day and pointedly ask him to do something. Boss threw in a bonus and after he had gone out asked mr chatty to stop bothering him as he had so much work to get on with.

mevile 8y ago

Someone asking you if you have a minute for something work related vs someone chatting your ear off about non-work related things isn't the same thing.

g051051 8y ago
My response was to > Why not be honest and direct?"
pdimitar 8y ago
You are right, it is not. The interruption and the resulting loss of productivity because of it however is the same in either case. Focused work without interruption must be respected and enforced when needed. If you are bored at work, go ask for more work to do, I'd say. Or do as I did when I was still in offices many years ago: politely and without raising your voice just ask the room directly: "Anyone up for 10 minutes coffee break?". If nobody would respond then I would still go at a balcony drinking my coffee alone. Nobody is mandated to listen to my blabber and I understood and respected that. It's rather amazing how many people didn't though.

dawidw 8y ago

In my opinion, saying just "no" it's quite harsh. That can create distance instead of building team (respect, trust, good manners etc.). In such situations I usually say something like "I'm very sorry but I'm extremely busy. Could you send me email with your issue, please? I'll come back to you as soon as I solve the problem".