Yahoo! Answers hits the streets: Episode 2
The suspense is over. Welcome to Yahoo! Answers hits the streets: Episode 2! Last month, we introduced to you Answers on the Street, where we take YOUR interesting questions and travel coast to coast to find the answers to just a few of them.
And now, this week’s question…
We’ve all been in this situation. You’re at work, finishing a project, and there’s this co-worker that just gets under your skin. They’re too loud, they won’t stop talking, they just won’t shut up. What do you do?
Think you know the answer? We know our community can do better. You’ve heard the answers on the street — now we want to hear from you! Give us a shout and tell us what you think. Just click the question below to submit your response.
Question: How do you deal with a co-worker who talks too much?
Episode 1 Winner
Congrats to janet a for the Best Answer to How do you tell someone they have bad breath? Here’s Janet in her own words:
I love the Internet. My daughter recommended Yahoo for email, and one day I clicked on “Answers” and I was hooked. I love the Senior section, all of the Medical categories (I’m a retired x-ray technologist), and the Jokes and Riddle Category, oh, and the Food & Drink (Recipe) category — I could go on and on!
When I’m not on the computer, I’m usually outside with our 3 Chihuahuas – My husband and I live in the mountains and take at least 2 walks every day, and of course the dogs go with us. I love to cook and love to read, especially mystery novels.
Thank you again for the Best Answer — it was exciting and fun!”
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This is awesome!!! Let’s keep doing this.
The reporter is hot……. wish to see more of her
I’ve rarely had problems with one annoying person, usually it’s just been the overall noise level in my work area. If I really needed to concentrate, and not necessarily because anyone else was noisy, I’d try to find an empty office to temporarily work in. I try to avoid conflict, so it would have to be a big enough problem if I was going to say anything. But if the problem was serious enough, I wouldn’t have a problem asking the offender politely to try to be a little quieter.
This seems fun! Nice job being create Yahoo!
I say I have a headache and I really just want to get finished so that I can get home, or I just give really nocommital answers before eventually excusing myself to go to the bathroom. Usually they will tone down the noise and if I actually do leave they have found someone else to talk to before I get back.
Take them to the side or get them alone somehow and tell them bluntly but tactfully. Something like, “Hey Sue, I know you like to chat with people but sometimes it is not appropriate. People have work to do and most of it, like mine, needs concentration. I really like talking to you, but maybe we can talk at break or even go to lunch sometime and talk. I am sure that others feel the same way, but they don’t know how to tell you. So, try to keep the chat down a little more and I’ll see you at break or let’s do lunch tomorrow.”
I want to joint yahoo! Answer taem
when something like that happens, I usually let it go and talk with someone superior to me and let them deal with it. If we can’t let anything go, we will have a hard time dealing with anybody else, neighbors, other appartement dwellers, the list goes on. I like to just let someone else deal with it, that way I can’t get in trouble, I will not get fired and I will still be there for my next shift.
That happens a lot at the nurse’s station where I work. I just pick up my stuff and find another computer in another spot and get away from said person. Sometimes they get the hint, sometimes they don’t. Guess you would call that the passive approach to the problem, but it avoids confrontation.
I love these things
I would’ve been like I gotta run, see ya!
Best response is no response; focus on the task at hand, and others excessive chatter won’t be a distraction. If it becomes a negative in the workplace, someone else will move in on the offender. Learning to “let go” and “just do it” are two critical aspects of personal development.
I space out, focus when they’ve talked enough and then interrupt and say I know huh? laugh like I am listening and say hey I’ll talk to you in a bit. I gotta do such and such now.
I try to ignore them, bcuz i think if you say something, then they will continue to be loud on purpose & maybe even get louder cuz they know it annoys you. Also if it’s a more superior person in status, then you might get your job in jeopardy. Not all, but some instances anyway. Love your forum Answers, I too, like other members, stumbled onto Answers & am now hooked. Wish I could see all of them, but only so many hours in a day.
I guess one way is to point out the annoying behavior to the person..and hopefully he or she will stop. One of the most annoying behaviors I loathe in the workplace (I guess this happens when the person just decides in her/his head they’re not going to at least respect you and your space…jerk) is when they suddenly have an ‘itchy throat’ problem and loudly clear theirs and/or cough repeatedly throughout the day, when you’re nearby. Their reasoning they could provide you for this could be ‘hey, I’m not feeling well”..yeah right.. I don’t get why coworkers (sometimes supervisors) emit such dumb behaviors in the first place..work needs to get done, right? I know the ‘throat’ stuff for some reason gets me amped up and raises my stress level. And sometimes distracts me and throws off my concentration..now that sucks.. I hate that…
I zone out basically. I’m not really one for discussion and I don’t mind if another person talks, I just go “uh huh. yea” and respond accordingly.
Maybe he/she will get the message that I don’t want to talk
No English LOL
These vids are so hilarious! I can’t wait for episode 3!
I usually just pull them aside, tell them that I have work to do and that I don’t have time to chat right now. Then I explain to them that I’ll catch up with them later to finish the story. Usually works. When it doesn’t, I just let them talk while I work focusing more on the job, less on the conversation. I’ll usually toss in a couple of uh-huhs here and there so they know I’m still trying to listen to them.
Ha, I’m with that guy on the last answer, I’ll listen and wait little by little until the person doesn’t look at me and make a run for the nearest exit.
What an annoying host…
New episode was arrived. *big happy*
lol
“DUCT TAPE”
so true
I wear a bluetooth headset almost all the time, even if I don’t have my cell with me. That way when I get sucked into a time hole conversation, my silent phone can ring with a very important phone call that can distract me to the point of walking away, imagine that!
I’d just put up with it. Isn’t it better than having them ignore you?
Those people seriously seemed so nerdy. Especially the last guy. All but the one with the skin tight white shirt. O:
Having been a Human Resource Manager and dealing with employees issues against one another, I have found a very reliable way to help the workers deal with the ‘others’ who just happen to have a more open personality and often may annoy others. I set up a commuication box in the office whereby the employees could voice their opinions and complaints annonyously. I would review the notices. Serruptiously, I would call various ones in my office (defussing ‘who’ the complaints would come from) and make them aware that there were others who had taken issue with something they had said or done.
I would talk with the employee and attempt to get to the bottom of the problem. Most of the time, the employee would be open and tempered to any suggestions I would have to help them be successful and able to get along with others.
Afterwards, I would either plan a seminar with regard to the issue, or have someone from the outside come in and teach a workshop that would eventually benefit the whole group.
My plan worked. People did not feel they were poked and the suggestions were always meant to help everyone – not just the complainer or the complaintant.
Our workforce behaviors inproved, and the employees attempts through classes, etc. were added to their files as courses which also gave them additional salary increases.
It worked for us.
The best to do is to ignore co-workers
My reasoning would be if they have so much free time to talk they have time to help with my project. I would ask the person to take on some of the lowest levels of the work, if they refused I would tell them their loud talking streak was making it obvious that they are underutilized in their present position. No need to advertise that you are not pulling your weight!
The best you could do is first ask the person if they could be quiet. Explain to them that usually you have no problems concentrating, but for the current project you’re having some problems. That you know that what your working on is a great project and that you want to work on it from every little angle there is.
If that doesn’t work then go to a supervisor and explain to them that you’ve asked that person and whatever they are working on seems to have them excited. Go onto explain the same thing to them about your project and why you would like to be able to concentrate.
I have definitely handled the “annoying coworker.” A woman I remember specifically I worked with, who constantly laughed at everything (and was loud about it, too). If you are feeling confrontational, my best advice would be to go up to their desk and ask them quietly, “Hey, I think it might just be me, but I’m feeling sensitive to noise right now and I am having trouble finishing up this project. Would you mind talking a bit quieter?” That’s taking ownership of YOU being the one with the problem, so they don’t feel defensive about being loud.
OR, if you are not the confrontational type, tell your (or their) immediate supervisor about the volume level and explain you would like to either move to a quieter location (If possible) or if they could tell the loud coworker to quiet down a bit, until you are done.
Either situation, you are not the enemy and they are not the attacked. So, it works out well.
These videos are awesome.
First of all, don’t let anyone or anything disturb you. You can best handle the situation if you are calm. Politely, share your problem with them. I am sure they will understand.
lol I agree that she is hot and its funny that the guy said “Shut the “f” up”
I wish they would do more of this in a different way. Maybe more of the way Jay Leno did on the Tonight show…
yes, if it make senes l will give ears to what he or she is saying, but if she not making any point,l will jsut keep off from the preson.
Oh, they must be talking about me. I love people who talk a lot, if they are remotely interesting. They usually let you tell your story too. Bring ‘em on.
On the other hand, if you have work to do, I mean who has work to do at work, but if you do, as hard as it is to imagine, I just say I can’t talk now, how about lunch or after work? I just hope we get some sleep that night and that we don’t have to work tomorrow. So what’s the problemo?
I slap the snot out of them !
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Well at least that what I do in my mind, after I enjoy the visualization, I will ask them a work question to get there focus back on the job, or I will ask them politely to keep the noise down because I am on the phone.
We have someone in our office who makes noise. He talks loudly on the phone, he talks loudly all the time, he plays music, he rushes through the lobby bumping against furniture. In a perfect world a vacant quiet office, completely stocked just for me, would be right around the corner. It isn’t. Or someone could tactfully speak to him. However, strictly within the rules of common office practice, us “small people”–everyone answers to someone–are not permitted to “monitor” or “supervise” another. I would like to give the guy a pair of ear buds for his music, but that would be in the sphere of directing his behavior. If someone is this inconsiderate initially, the evidence is already there that his response to comments probably won’t be reasonable, short or long term.
So speak to a supervisor. After all, officially we are required to give up some of our ability to respond, and in trade and theory the supervisor is required to step in. Well, the supervisor is someone with a different job, not a superior person. It works to some degree if others are also bothered by the behavior and the supervisor acts appropriately. But even then you are always the one that complained, and the frame of the situation tightens slightly to an official thing between you and Mr. Problem.
What is a solution that avoids this maze of office politics?