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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Annie’s Mailbox: Cubicle blabber interrupts workflow

By Marcy Sugar And Kathy Mitchell Creators Syndicate

Dear Annie: My cubicle is separated by a low wall from “Terri,” the woman who works next to me.

Here’s the problem: I might be talking with seven other people near me at different times and we could be whispering, but Terri manages to hear the conversation and always has an opinion to add. Every associate who works near Terri has an issue with her constant opinions, her butting into other people’s conversations, and the talk about her failing marriage, her difficult kids and her finances. We don’t invite these conversations, especially because no matter what you say, you are wrong and she is right.

Management has spoken to the rest of us, saying we shouldn’t talk about Terri when she isn’t present, because it creates negativity in the workplace. Yet they say nothing about her constant, disruptive yapping during an eight-hour shift. The sound of her voice stresses me out so much that it’s hard to maintain a professional manner around her.

How can we make Terri mind her own affairs until she is invited into the conversation? How can we get her to do some work (and let us do ours) instead of blabbing all day? – Ready to Tear My Hair Out

Dear Ready: Let’s start with the obvious – you don’t like Terri and you have been excluding her from your conversations. She responds by talking and butting in, so that she feels part of the workplace environment. You respond with annoyance.

Imagine how you would react if you were frozen out of your co-workers’ conversations. Have you tried including her? Doing so now and then will make it easier to ask for some quiet time when you both need to work. But if she still cannot stop talking, the next step is headphones and a smile.