What To Do When a Coworker Interrupts Your Phone Conversation
What To Do When a Coworker Interrupts Your Phone Conversation
Some reasons that the person may hang around your doorway or cubicle while you are on the phone:
- She might not think you see her so she stays in view.
- She might have something on her mind that she feels is urgent.
- She might be oblivious to proper etiquette and not know that she should walk away and come back.
How to handle: First of all, acknowledge the person. If you don’t she will try even harder to get your attention. If you will be off the phone in 5 minutes, look at the person, smile, raise your hand up to indicate five minutes and then point to her cubicle. If she doesn’t leave, wave good-bye. Then when your conversation is over, go right to her cubicle. At that time say, “Sorry to keep you waiting but I had to finish that conversation. In the future, just peek in and if I am in the middle of a conversation and can’t be interrupted, I will signal you and then when I am free, I’ll come right over to your office. If I’ll be right off, I’ll motion you in. If it’s really urgent, jot me a note and hand it to me. So, what can I do for you?”
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