Muzzling the Motor Mouths:
Silencing 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 twelve 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.
Bill Lampton, Ph.D., helps organizations improve their
communication, motivation, customer service and sales. His speeches, seminars,
coaching and consulting share the practical advice included in his book, The
Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life! Visit his
Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com Call Dr. Lampton at 770-534-3425.
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