The "Cube Farm": Surviving in a Cubicle World (Part 2)

Here comes Ginger! 

You've finally settled in after briefly and mindlessly scrolling through Facebook, when you hear the squeak from her shoe getting louder and louder as she comes down the hall.  You think; is it the right or the left shoe?  But before you decide, she enters and plops down, all in one smooth move, without realizing that she is sitting on your sport jacket.  Her closed-lip smile tells you that she has something juicy to share.  As she sticks her hand under her blouse to pull up her bra strap, she asks how you're doing.  But, before you reply, she leans in and is just about to spill when you decide that you've had enough.     

What should you do when the pesky coworker settles in for a nice long chat?  Well, you could hand him or her a cold mutton sandwich*.  Keep in mind that it could take several sandwiches before he or she takes the hint.

Short of asking the uninvited office guest to leave, you could take a kinder more diplomatic approach.  For example:

• I wish I could hear all about Jerry's recent root canal, but I have to get this letter out.
• I need to make a call. Please excuse me.
• Why don't I call you when I have some time.
• Let's schedule lunch next week.
• I was just leaving. (get up and leave, without your jacket of course)

Sometimes, office gossip is just too good to pass up, especially when it's about someone that you are not fond of.   I often wonder, once I've heard the juicy tidbit, what do I do with it, pass it on?  We all know how well that works.  Does it make me feel better about myself?  Do I dance a jig in celebration of the unfortunate tidings about that person? 

Calling all "Gingers"! If you are the "Ginger" in your company, stop it.  You can continue to be the teller-of-news, but good news.  When you see someone doing something great, go tell it on the mountain, over the hill and everywhere...

*The origin of giving someone the cold shoulder was to literally give someone either, cold shoulder of beef or mutton, over and over again so that the guest would take a hint and leave.

Rosalinda Oropeza Randall is an etiquette consultant who owns Your Relationship Edge in which she teaches classes and presents workshops to a variety of audiences. She can be reached at rosalinda@yourrelationshipedge.com and her website is www.yourrelationshipedge.com. She can also be reached on Facebook.