| |
Muzzling the Motor Mouths: Silence Workplace Windbags
By Bill Lampton Ph.D.
Nonstop talkers surround us. They appear to have no concept of time, as they ramble on endlessly--following their request to "talk to you for a minute." You want to treat them courteously, yet demonstrate that you need privacy to finish your work.
During my twenty-three years in management, I dealt with blabbermouths frequently, so for the last ten years I have advised clients on how to silence the workplace windbags. Here are my suggestions for muzzling the motor mouths:
ONE: Offer nonverbal cues. If you continue your work and don't make eye contact, many people will take the hint and decide to leave. Another approach: Check your watch repeatedly. A more prominent gesture: Put your hand up like a policeman stopping traffic, a universally understood position. Start packing your briefcase, signaling your departure plans.
TWO: When subtle cues won't work, explain why you can't have a conversation. "I can't talk right now, because I'm in the middle of a project that's due tomorrow. I'll get back with you later." Notice--that puts you in charge of the next move.
THREE: Try giving a time limit: "I've got five minutes. What can we cover in that amount of time?" Then stick to the announced limit rigidly, and get on the phone or walk away when the five minutes have expired.
FOUR: Make sure you meet with gabby people in their offices, not yours. Why? Walking away is much less awkward than trying to shuffle someone out of your office.
FIVE: Wherever you meet, schedule the get-together just before lunch or closing time, when they will be more conscious of time limits themselves.
SIX: Enlist an assistant's help. Before the chatty person arrives, tell a co-worker to interrupt you if the visitor is still there after fifteen minutes. A comment like "Do you remember that appointment you have now?" will justify your ending the conversation.
SEVEN: Compliment the talker by saying, "Gosh, what you are saying sounds worth considering. Please go back to your desk now and put your recommendations in writing, so I can share them with the staff."
EIGHT: Remove the usual comforts by having a stand-up meeting. This symbolically conveys that you are not going to settle in for an extended appointment.
NINE: In a group meeting, tell the windbag, "Really appreciate your input on that, Marvin. Now let me give Sharon and one or two others a chance to respond." Another ploy: "We're on a tight schedule, so I have to move us to the next point on the agenda."
TEN: Ask for a conclusion: "Sandra, I think I get what you are driving at, but just to be sure please sum it up for me in a few sentences."
ELEVEN: Get up and walk toward the door, saying, "Let's finish this on the way out."
TWELVE: Introduce them to someone else: "I want you to share your ideas with Norman, because he heads this particular program."
Next time the company chatterbox confronts you, try these approaches. They work, and they won't shatter relationships.
And here is an invitation: If you use some strategies I haven't mentioned, please e-mail them to me:
drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com
Title your e-mail MOTOR MOUTHS, so I will be sure to open it. If you send me a suggestion, please indicate whether you grant permission for me to quote you in articles, on my blog and elsewhere.
About the Author
Bill Lampton, Ph.D.--author of The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life!-- helps organizations strengthen their communication, motivation, customer service and sales. He has served a diverse list of top-level client. Visit his Web site to sign up for his monthly complimentary newsletter:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com
Call Dr. Lampton to bring his expertise to your group: 770-534-3425 or 800-393-0114. E-mail: drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/17733.html
| If you wish to add the above article to your website or newsletters then please include the "Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/17733.html" as shown above and make it hyperlinked. |
| Some other articles by Bill Lampton Ph.D. | Customer Service At Its Best
Because we experience so much customer service that annoys us, and even insults us, finding someone who truly cares about customers lifts our spirits. Recently, I ...
Put Your Best Face Forward
Blink--a recent book by Malcolm Gladwell--cites research to support the concept that a person's face can do more than mirror the individual's mood. . .it can create a mood for that individual. That is, if you start ...
Attract Clients With Your Business Card
Let's say you attend a business function. You meet a top tier prospect, and give her your card. Twenty other people do the same thing. So what will make your card stand ...
A Dozen Guidelines For Using E-Mail
In most of the seminars I conduct for corporations and associations, I reserve time to talk about e-mail. Why? Because e-mail has become one of our most prominent ...
|
|
| |
|
