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I have this annoying coworker who will approach me to tell me some boring story or opinion she has, and I couldn't care less. If not that she is asking nosy questions.
She is too stupid to take hints. I have my back turned to her and give minimal replies. Would this response be warranted?
Status:
"I don't understand. But I don't care, so it works out."
(set 10 days ago)
35,636 posts, read 17,982,736 times
Reputation: 50677
Well, if she's taking away from time you are actively working, with long stories that last several minutes, I think you can say "I'm so sorry, I'm really busy, I need to get this done" is appropriate.
But yes, saying "that doesn't interest me" to someone you know who is speaking to you is rude.
Why does she have so much free time on her hands? Why isn't she at her desk? When did the workplace become a social club?
You're not required to entertain someone who isn't able to keep busy, or doesn't have enough work, and gets bored. Tell her you have work to do, or a deadline to meet.
Asking nosy questions? What's wrong with her? just say, "I'm sorry, that's personal". Repeat as needed. Play "broken record" with her; whenever she starts asking nosy questions, say the same thing, as often as needed.
I have this annoying coworker who will approach me to tell me some boring story or opinion she has, and I couldn't care less. If not that she is asking nosy questions.
She is too stupid to take hints. I have my back turned to her and give minimal replies. Would this response be warranted?
If this is how you respond to annoying people you sound almost as rude. Your "minimal replies" are encouraging her, not discouraging her.
Every time she starts off with a story or too-personal questions, politely tell her you have:
a) a deadline
b) a meeting
c) expecting an important call
d) in the middle of a complex email
e) heading for the break room (then do it)
Be consistent. She'll get tired of trying and go bother someone else.
See? No need to be rude. Why start an unnecessary war with someone?
I have this annoying coworker who will approach me to tell me some boring story or opinion she has, and I couldn't care less. If not that she is asking nosy questions.
She is too stupid to take hints. I have my back turned to her and give minimal replies. Would this response be warranted?
Yeah, it's rude. It's almost as rude as just telling her outright what you have implied here about her - you think she's uninteresting, stupid, boring, annoying and nosy and you couldn't care less about her as a human being and don't want to talk to her. Of course you'd probably get put on probation or else lose your job really quickly if you told her that.
Telling her you aren't interested in non-work related topics is warranted but if you do that you will have to do it as diplomatically as possible so you don't give personal offense. Otherwise, if you are offensive in the way you say it then it will still get around to your employers that you are having personality conflicts with other employees at work so you will still get into trouble with the employer.
If you can't be diplomatic - (which I don't think you can be since I've noticed in some of your other posts that you are not a diplomatic person by any stretch of the imagination, you are exaggeratedly blunt and abrasive {kind of like me sometimes - it takes one to know one, eh!}) - then I think you may just have to stick with what you have been doing already. Always stay focused on work related discussions but when she's talking about non-work related topics always keep your eyes on your work instead of looking at her and give minimal or no answers. That shows your disinterest in her as a human being and you're not getting personal, not actively and openly offending her. Eventually she'll clue in that you don't like her and you aren't worth her while to talk to or try to be friendly with and she'll leave you alone.
No it is not rude. It's rude to allow yourself to listen to something you're not interested in and act bored though. Tell them it's not something you care about knowing.
I have this annoying coworker who will approach me to tell me some boring story or opinion she has, and I couldn't care less. If not that she is asking nosy questions.
She is too stupid to take hints. I have my back turned to her and give minimal replies. Would this response be warranted?
I don't why she'd want to chat w/you. You don't seem receptive to human interaction.
Just be yourself and tell her to buzz off. She won't be back.
I have this annoying coworker who will approach me to tell me some boring story or opinion she has, and I couldn't care less. If not that she is asking nosy questions.
She's asking you nosy personal questions? That's out of line. I disagree with the C-D Rudeness Police: She shouldn't be trying to interrupt your work.
Quote:
She is too stupid to take hints. I have my back turned to her and give minimal replies. Would this response be warranted?
It's fine. Something like, "Excuse me, I need to get this done." Repeat as necessary.
When I am not interested, I say it. Unless some sort of important or necessary information, the other person is just as rude for forcing me to listen to something that I am not interested in.
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