Pet Peeve/Vent

[newtofl]

I have a co-worker that calls over our desks (we sit right next to each other) and gives me an answer to what I am talking with someone about on the phone.  Just now I was on the phone with someone, she heard that I was talking on the phone, came to my desk startling me because I was talking, she proceeded to give me an answer, I finally put the person on hold while she told me this man's wife was talking to someone in the office already and she got mad at me because I was annoyed at her.  

I would never scream an answer over my cubical so the person on the other end could hear.  She has done this several times, I have always let it go because I know that when I complain all I get is that this coworker will never change, just let it go from my co-workers.  I have tried to ignore her but this time she came to my desk and looked over my shoulder, listened to my conversation and proceeded to butt in.  Does anyone have any suggestions on how to talk with my coworker so that this does not happen again.  By the way, it is not just me who gets annoyed at her and this is not the only thing she does that upsets our coworkers - like yelling at people on the phone, yelling at people in the office, interrupting conversations, etc.

Please help she is driving me and my other coworkers nuts.

[raindance]

Well, you can do three things - nothing (that's always an option ), you can try "persuading" her by ignoring her (in which case you probably waste time and energy getting really mad at her) or you can be assertive and go and speak to her.  Sometimes a little bit of medicine, however unwelcome, is best in the long run.

You could point out that you're aware she is just trying to be helpful, but you don't appreciate her interrupting your conversations, nor having an answer to everything etc etc.  When I give criticism, which sometimes I have to, I try to put it in a way in which what I am saying leaves the other person with their dignity. Said politely and calmly it should do the trick.  Then perhaps this colleague may come to realise that the world is not in darkness without her contributions.

My two bitz,

Raindance

[catsmeat]

Reading a thread like this just makes me appreciate my one-woman office all the more!