Inside the Staffroom
WHAT ARE YOUR
PET PEEVES?
W
e all have them…pet
peeves. These little habits
that most people tend to
find annoying, intolerable
or obnoxious. Many of us are usually
quick to point out our pet peeves
when it comes to others. However,
are you aware of the things that you
do, that may make others not want to
spend time with you? When it comes
to being inside the staffroom, dealing
with pet peeves can be quite more
challenging, given that you spend the
majority of your day at work and in the
presence of your colleagues. Here are
a few common pet peeves that people
have and how they can be addressed
diplomatically.
Foot Tapping: Foot tapping is a
common pet peeve that the offender
is usually not very conscious of. Some
people tap one foot constantly when
they are in deep thought or if they are
nervous. If this is a pet peeve of yours,
gently suggest to the person doing the
tapping that it is distracting. You can
also excuse yourself from where they
are by going for a walk.
Obnoxiously loud laughter: There
are times when a good joke will make
you laugh out loud. Laughing out
loudly can be distracting to others.
It is frowned upon in public because
it is considered to be impolite to do
so. Culturally in the UAE, ladies are
encouraged not to laugh out loudly in
public. Laughing out loud is definitely
not appropriate in a work environment.
If you have a colleague who is guilty
of this, take that person some place
quiet and tell them about it. If he/she
continues with the behaviour, distance
yourself.
Staring in silence: Have you ever
felt like someone was staring at you
from behind, then you turn around just
to catch them staring and the person
says nothing, forcing you to react?
Your reaction may be to say something
to the person, look away quickly or
use body language to show your
discomfort. Staring at someone without
speaking to that person can definitely
cause tension in the staffroom. If you
are caught staring, in order to avoid an
uncomfortable situation, just apologise
for staring or offer up a compliment!
The interrupter: There is usually one
person who is very good at constantly
interrupting others when they are
having a conversation. While some
persons will refrain from pointing this
out, others find constant interruption to
be annoying. Someone who constantly
interrupts clearly isn’t listening to
the other person and is showing
disinterest in what the other person is
saying. If you are guilty of constantly
interrupting, to avoid being snapped
at, practise listening more and talking
less. If you must interrupt, please ask
permission of the speaker.
Open Mouth Chewers: It could be
chewing gum and it could be actual
food. There are a handful of people
who forget to close their mouths while
chewing or to complete chewing before
continuing a conversation. Open mouth
chewers unwittingly cause those
around them to see what’s inside their
mouths. This also puts those within
close proximity at risk for particles of
food flying at them, when the chewer is
speaking. Solution: walk away briskly
from an open mouth chewer or wait
until the person has completed his/her
meal before you start a conversation.
each complaint with a positive. After
a while, this colleague will e ither
stop complaining to you or start to
appreciate more of the good things in
life.
The Borrower: This pet peeve is
specifically for those who like to borrow
but never return what was borrowed. A
normal reaction would be to point out
to the borrower that the last loan is still
unpaid/unreturned. It may be easier to
simply say no to the person who never
returns what is borrowed or what he/
she owes.
Personal Space Violation: A violation
of one’s personal space would include
hovering over someone’s shoulder at
their desk, standing very closely so
you can feel their breath on your face
and sitting on their desk while the other
person is trying to get work done. If a
colleague is constantly invading your
personal space, to avert confrontation,
smile, step back (if you are standing)
and politely ask your colleague to allow
you a bit of space/privacy. You can
also excuse yourself from the situation/
space until he/
she gets the
message.
The Complainer: “The complainer” is
usually a colleague who always has
some negative comments to share
about any and everything on a daily
basis. Some people will distance
themselves from a colleague
who
constantly
complains.
However, it helps to guide this
kind of person by rebutting
Class Time
Nov - Dec 2014
25