So, I have a magazine article hanging in my office that I so love. And, I actually found it online even though it’s a couple of years old: http://www.inc.com/magazine/20060401/column-buchanan.html.
I have a large office with a round table that is nice for meetings and for those moments where people need to come in and discuss items. It’s “nice,” except for when someone is meeting with me and someone else comes in to briefly interrupt. First of all, that is rude. Secondly, the middle man hostage is stuck in a situation he doesn’t want to be in because he can either excuse himself or sit through the ordeal. Typically, he ends up sitting through the ordeal because the intruder has blocked his exit from the office.
I’ve also been on the other end of this anxiety attack causing situation. I dislike greatly (words my parents taught us to use instead of hate) when this occurs in a superiors office because you feel kind of obligated to stay instead of take the escape route. Or, the intruder involves you in a conversation you don’t want to be in.
It happens enough that an article is written about it and so it gives credibility to the fact that this is an intrusion, an energy zapper, a display of the lack of emotional intelligence on the part of the intruder and a task interference.
Oh, these days I really want to make another episode of The Office because it becomes more relevant each day.
