The question is about phone etiquette at work, in two different situations.
1) Someone comes over to your cube/office, and you talk about work. In the middle of talking, your work phone rings. What do you do?
2) You're talking on your cell phone, and someone comes over to your cube/office to talk work. What do you do?
Does the answer to either question depend on the rank of someone talking to you?
The behavior I have observed is this :
1) Answer the phone.
2) Finish the phone conversation. It's not because it's not work related that it isn't important.
Personally, while I have a phone at work, I rarely use it. It's the 21st century, send me an email.
I guess they would act differently if VPs & higher were waiting for them.
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 10:37:29 AM
The question is about phone etiquette at work, in two different situations.
1) Someone comes over to your cube/office, and you talk about work. In the middle of talking, your work phone rings. What do you do?
2) You're talking on your cell phone, and someone comes over to your cube/office to talk work. What do you do?
Does the answer to either question depend on the rank of someone talking to you?
1. Answer it. See if it is important. If so, tell person you are talking with you need to take the call, will catch up with you later. If not, tell person on phone you are tied up at the moment, and you will get back to them later.
2. Depends on who you are talking to, what it is about, and who comes over. Basically the same thing as #1, with the same outcome.
Lastly, of course it matters. If my boss is talking to me about something important, I am sure as hell not likely to tell him I will get back to him in favor of a phone call from a friend who is asking me if I want to meet for lunch.
1) I never answer the phone, because that's just plain rude... unless it happens to be my SVP or the COO.
2) I never talk on my cell phone in the office (and my work Blackberry is data only).
What Throbby said. Say excuse me, take the call, say you can't talk now and will call back.
Call display... if I recognize the number as one I need to take I say "I need to take this" and answer it. If I don't recognize the number... I don't answer.
I want the TPS reports.
Unless I am expecting an important call or the caller ID is from someone important I let it ring out. I hate it when someone ignores me to grab a phone call to talk about something that oculd wait and don't wanna do it to someone else.
For 2, I usually tell whomever I"m on the phone with that I'll call them back, unless it is something important. I only use my cell phone for the occasional personal call. Maybe once a week or every few weeks, and I have my students turn theirs to vibrate.
1) I'd ask the person I'm talking with to wait until I answer the phone and know who is calling. Then, depending on the call, I'd ask the one with the lower priority to wait until I deal with the other.
2) Is it a work or a personall call the one on the phone? If it's personal, I'd hold the call until I get the point that the person who came over wanted to say.
Regarding the rank, yes, it affects my decision making. I'm not making my boss wait in any of those scenarios, unless the other thing is urgent.
1) Will depend on who is in my office and who's calling. If my supervisor is in the office and a colleague I know will just have a short query is calling I'll finish with my supervisor and call the colleague back. Vice versa I'd be more likely to pick up the phone if my supervisor or his supervisor is showing in the display and a fellow underling is in the office.
2) If it's a private call I'll end that one and turn to work issues.
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 10:37:29 AM
Does the answer to either question depend on the rank of someone talking to you?
Yep, if I want to talk to someone enough to go to their office/cubical and they are on the phone I will understand if they put me off because it is an important call but it better be an important call.
And if they take a call while I am talking to them......
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 11:45:31 AM
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 10:37:29 AM
Does the answer to either question depend on the rank of someone talking to you?
Yep, if I want to talk to someone enough to go to their office/cubical and they are on the phone I will understand if they put me off because it is an important call but it better be an important call.
And if they take a call while I am talking to them......
That would suck to work in an environment where people were that uptight and anal.
If I am talking to someone and their phone rings, and they take it, what do I care? My ego is not tied up in whether or not they want to take a call while I am talking to them. If it is something important, they will get back to me. If it isn't they will get back to them. Either way...so what?
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 11:52:07 AM
If I am talking to someone and their phone rings, and they take it, what do I care?
You are not billing at the same rate obviously. :P
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 12:03:57 PM
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 11:52:07 AM
If I am talking to someone and their phone rings, and they take it, what do I care?
You are not billing at the same rate obviously. :P
Nor is his ego tied up with an ability to punish someone for taking a call when he is visiting. :P
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 11:52:07 AM
If I am talking to someone and their phone rings, and they take it, what do I care? My ego is not tied up in whether or not they want to take a call while I am talking to them. If it is something important, they will get back to me. If it isn't they will get back to them. Either way...so what?
There is certainly an ego component to this. No one likes to be put on hold without an obviously good reason. However, there is also just plain inconvenience. You don't want to compete for someone's attention just to discuss work.
In my old company, when I wanted something from the boss/owner (usually clarifying something or getting a signature under something) and he was on the phone I usually stood and waited calmly. It might be five minutes or ten during which he would become increasingly nervous and irritated until he finally cut the call short. Fun times.
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 12:23:25 PM
There is certainly an ego component to this. No one likes to be put on hold without an obviously good reason. However, there is also just plain inconvenience. You don't want to compete for someone's attention just to discuss work.
True, and there is an etiquette for these kinds of things as well. If you have to interrupt a conversation to screen a call, say that this is what you are doing, rather than just saying "just a sec" or whatever.
To take a call while someone is standing in front of you without explaining why you are ignoring the person who has taken the time to see you in person is rude, without doubt. To ominously suggest that no one even screen their calls when you are there is equally ego-maniacal, as is the concept that what one charges per hour determines one's importance.
Quote from: Syt on March 02, 2010, 12:28:14 PM
In my old company, when I wanted something from the boss/owner (usually clarifying something or getting a signature under something) and he was on the phone I usually stood and waited calmly. It might be five minutes or ten during which he would become increasingly nervous and irritated until he finally cut the call short. Fun times.
Is that why it's now your old company?
Quote from: Syt on March 02, 2010, 12:28:14 PM
In my old company, when I wanted something from the boss/owner (usually clarifying something or getting a signature under something) and he was on the phone I usually stood and waited calmly. It might be five minutes or ten during which he would become increasingly nervous and irritated until he finally cut the call short. Fun times.
Heh, I do the same to mine, I just stand by the doorstep of his office until he hangs. It's not unusual to form small gatherings of people, as all the big bosses' offices are nearby, and people usually do that.
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 12:29:40 PM
Is that why it's now your old company?
Nah, my boss was sorry to see me go, because I also doubled as his personal assistant for some stuff (booking flights, translating letters and offers into English, print road maps - all that his "real" secretary was incompetent for).
I quit because I hate accounting.
I do that too.
Quote from: Grey Fox on March 02, 2010, 10:41:35 AM
Personally, while I have a phone at work, I rarely use it. It's the 21st century, send me an email.
For very busy people that's sometimes not an option, as emails may "drown" in their inbox.
Quote from: The Larch on March 02, 2010, 12:44:22 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on March 02, 2010, 10:41:35 AM
Personally, while I have a phone at work, I rarely use it. It's the 21st century, send me an email.
For very busy people that's sometimes not an option, as emails may "drown" in their inbox.
That's more an issue of lacking email discipline: setting up rules/search folders that organize your emails, cc'ing everyone and their dog, sending too many video links or "funny mails" (fortunately not an issue at our office) etc etc.
If I want someone to have an email but not reply I usually cc them, because they'll ignore it and I can always say, "I sent it to you ... here's my sent copy". Never mind that 90% of people have no idea how to archive their emails when their inbox run over. I can show people what they wrote in 2007 which has saved me a number of times, while others search for hours, mumbling, "I thought I had saved it somewhere ..."
Quote from: Syt on March 02, 2010, 12:51:51 PM
That's more an issue of lacking email discipline: setting up rules/search folders that organize your emails, cc'ing everyone and their dog, sending too many video links or "funny mails" (fortunately not an issue at our office) etc etc.
If I want someone to have an email but not reply I usually cc them, because they'll ignore it and I can always say, "I sent it to you ... here's my sent copy". Never mind that 90% of people have no idea how to archive their emails when their inbox run over. I can show people what they wrote in 2007 which has saved me a number of times, while others search for hours, mumbling, "I thought I had saved it somewhere ..."
This is why "it's now your old company"! :lol:
Quote from: grumbler on March 02, 2010, 12:54:08 PM
This is why "it's now your old company"! :lol:
No, that's our current company, and an example of how we're worldwide market leader despite certain shortcomings. :P
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 10:37:29 AM
The question is about phone etiquette at work, in two different situations.
1) Someone comes over to your cube/office, and you talk about work. In the middle of talking, your work phone rings. What do you do?
2) You're talking on your cell phone, and someone comes over to your cube/office to talk work. What do you do?
Does the answer to either question depend on the rank of someone talking to you?
My work phone is my cell phone is my home phone.
1. Generally answer unless the call is non-work related.
2. Generally gesture at him to wait unless the call is non-work related.
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 12:23:25 PM
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 11:52:07 AM
If I am talking to someone and their phone rings, and they take it, what do I care? My ego is not tied up in whether or not they want to take a call while I am talking to them. If it is something important, they will get back to me. If it isn't they will get back to them. Either way...so what?
There is certainly an ego component to this. No one likes to be put on hold without an obviously good reason. However, there is also just plain inconvenience. You don't want to compete for someone's attention just to discuss work.
True enough - but then, you are always competing for my attention, and vice versa.
Simple courtesy would dictate that I operate under the assumption that you won't blow me off without good reason, and I won't do it to you, and hence if you DO blow me off, I will assume there was a good reason, and not be offended.
The reason this is better is that then I don't ever have to feel like *I* am imposing by stopping by for a quick chat. The idea that people are going to be going around getting offended because I take a call, or someone is going to be offended because I *don't* take their call is way more hassle than the tender egos of those who care about this shit are worth, IMO.
It depends wholly on the relationship of the people in question.
If a senior person is asking support staff who works there to, well, support them, then they're not answering any calls (barring emergencies) and they're ending whatever calls they're having unless it's crucial to support that person.
If it's two more or less equal colleagues - including an immediate supervisor in most professional workplaces - then whatever happens first takes precedence, assuming it's work related. You don't answer the phone (unless it's something that's expected to be important) but you don't hang up on a call either (unless, of course, it's a private call).
Conversely, if you're the support staff interacting with someone senior, you don't get offended if they take a call during a talk or finish their conversation unless it's obviously frivolous; they have a lot of important things to deal with and they'll come to you in due time. If they don't, the resultant failure is their responsibility and headache anyways.
This thread should be labelled the opposite of NSFW.
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 02:18:43 PM
True enough - but then, you are always competing for my attention, and vice versa.
Simple courtesy would dictate that I operate under the assumption that you won't blow me off without good reason, and I won't do it to you, and hence if you DO blow me off, I will assume there was a good reason, and not be offended.
The reason this is better is that then I don't ever have to feel like *I* am imposing by stopping by for a quick chat. The idea that people are going to be going around getting offended because I take a call, or someone is going to be offended because I *don't* take their call is way more hassle than the tender egos of those who care about this shit are worth, IMO.
For simplicity, let's assume that we're talking about regular behavior (which is part of the reason for me starting this thread). I'm sure most people are adults enough to dismiss an occasional action that can be regarded as a slight, and assume there was some reason for it.
Quote from: Jacob on March 02, 2010, 02:27:49 PM
It depends wholly on the relationship of the people in question.
If a senior person is asking support staff who works there to, well, support them, then they're not answering any calls (barring emergencies) and they're ending whatever calls they're having unless it's crucial to support that person.
If it's two more or less equal colleagues - including an immediate supervisor in most professional workplaces - then whatever happens first takes precedence, assuming it's work related. You don't answer the phone (unless it's something that's expected to be important) but you don't hang up on a call either (unless, of course, it's a private call).
Conversely, if you're the support staff interacting with someone senior, you don't get offended if they take a call during a talk or finish their conversation unless it's obviously frivolous; they have a lot of important things to deal with and they'll come to you in due time. If they don't, the resultant failure is their responsibility and headache anyways.
That's pretty much exactly what my thoughts were regarding those two questions.
Quote from: Delirium on March 02, 2010, 02:30:37 PM
This thread should be labelled the opposite of NSFW.
NNSFW?
If a client calls I will enjoy the oportunity to ignore the boss at my cubicle.
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 02:35:57 PM
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 02:18:43 PM
True enough - but then, you are always competing for my attention, and vice versa.
Simple courtesy would dictate that I operate under the assumption that you won't blow me off without good reason, and I won't do it to you, and hence if you DO blow me off, I will assume there was a good reason, and not be offended.
The reason this is better is that then I don't ever have to feel like *I* am imposing by stopping by for a quick chat. The idea that people are going to be going around getting offended because I take a call, or someone is going to be offended because I *don't* take their call is way more hassle than the tender egos of those who care about this shit are worth, IMO.
For simplicity, let's assume that we're talking about regular behavior (which is part of the reason for me starting this thread). I'm sure most people are adults enough to dismiss an occasional action that can be regarded as a slight, and assume there was some reason for it.
I am saying that there is no way I am getting slighted by you taking a call while I am talking to you, unless you display some kind of consistent and persistent complete lack of consideration.
If I am talking to you, and your phone rings, and you answer it adn tell me you will get back to me, I am going to assume you have good reason. If nothing else, me getting offended does me no good anyway, so why should I bother being offended?
Where I work, we drop by one anothers cubes or offices all the damn time. And there is, IMO, a pretty decent understanding that nobody is going to worry about crap like who is offending who. If I walk up to someones cube and they are in a conversation with someone else, I may even interrupt if it is clear they are just shooting the shit (even work related) and I have something important I need to ask one of them. And the response to my "Is it ok if I interrupt?" is almost always "Oh yeah, we are just talking about <whatever>, what do you need?" and likely as not all three of us will discuss whatever it is that brought me over in the first place.
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 02:38:19 PM
Quote from: Jacob on March 02, 2010, 02:27:49 PM
It depends wholly on the relationship of the people in question.
If a senior person is asking support staff who works there to, well, support them, then they're not answering any calls (barring emergencies) and they're ending whatever calls they're having unless it's crucial to support that person.
If it's two more or less equal colleagues - including an immediate supervisor in most professional workplaces - then whatever happens first takes precedence, assuming it's work related. You don't answer the phone (unless it's something that's expected to be important) but you don't hang up on a call either (unless, of course, it's a private call).
Conversely, if you're the support staff interacting with someone senior, you don't get offended if they take a call during a talk or finish their conversation unless it's obviously frivolous; they have a lot of important things to deal with and they'll come to you in due time. If they don't, the resultant failure is their responsibility and headache anyways.
That's pretty much exactly what my thoughts were regarding those two questions.
I tend to agree as well, and note that my own position is not in opposition to this - more about how people should feel when someone is being "blown off".
However, I work in the IT industry, and I think there is a lot less weight given to formal hierarchies than there is any many industries. I have no problem interrupting my boss for example, or even his boss - there is much more of a approachable/equal weight sort of culture.
What is odd is the ceiling on this though - you get high enough up above my level that the people involved are no longer really IT, and that disappears, and from what I can tell there is a lot more politicizing and normal "office politics" going on.
We just had a huge shake up in fact, and now if you go two level up from me, that person doesn't even really have a IT background. I wonder if that means our friendly little world is going to change...
I'm in a fairly formal field, with a very strict power distinction within the office (between lawyers and non-lawyers). But people have answered the phone when I was talking to them frequently - and they've let calls go to voicemail frequently.
It's all context-specific. How important is the conversation we're having (serious discussion of trial going on right now, or just wondering about a sentencing position on shoplifting). Does the person know who is calling? Are they waiting for a call?
You'd usually get a "sorry, I need to get this - can I come talk to you later", or a "let me see who it is and get them to call back", but even then not always as it is clearly implied.
In short, life's to short to worry about this kind of petty stuff.
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 02:54:18 PM
We just had a huge shake up in fact, and now if you go two level up from me, that person doesn't even really have a IT background. I wonder if that means our friendly little world is going to change...
My advice is dont tell him that his requirement that you not pick up the phone when he is talking to you is just about ego... :P
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 03:01:12 PM
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 02:54:18 PM
We just had a huge shake up in fact, and now if you go two level up from me, that person doesn't even really have a IT background. I wonder if that means our friendly little world is going to change...
My advice is dont tell him that his requirement that you not pick up the phone when he is talking to you is just about ego... :P
I wouldn't pick up the phone while he was talking to me though, unless I knew it was something rather important.
I think I said that back in my very first post.
However, if I *did* pick up the phone while he was talking to me because there WAS something important, and he started pouting about it, then I would most certainly think "Wow, what a tender little ego that guy has..."
Quote from: Barrister on March 02, 2010, 03:00:03 PM
In short, life's to short to worry about this kind of petty stuff.
:yes:
And what is more - life is too short to get offended by other people, even if they are doing something that convention considers offensive.
What is the net effect to you of letting someone else piss you off? *You* are pissed off and unhappy! Not them!
So why get pissed off to begin with?
I'm sure most of us hadn't thought about this before this thread brought it up.
I rather we talk about curling, it's true.
Quote from: Grey Fox on March 02, 2010, 03:08:10 PM
I'm sure most of us hadn't thought about this before this thread brought it up.
I rather we talk about curling, it's true.
The Brier starts on Saturday. :Canuck:
Its odd - I just checked and Martin isn't in it (although it also makes some sense - awful hard to turn around from the Olympics to Brier in 7 days).
But it makes for a wide open field. Could it be Jeff Stoughton from Manitoba?
Quote from: Barrister on March 02, 2010, 03:00:03 PM
In short, life's to short to worry about this kind of petty stuff.
But not to worry about worrying about this petty stuff, apparently.
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 03:03:42 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 03:01:12 PM
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 02:54:18 PM
We just had a huge shake up in fact, and now if you go two level up from me, that person doesn't even really have a IT background. I wonder if that means our friendly little world is going to change...
My advice is dont tell him that his requirement that you not pick up the phone when he is talking to you is just about ego... :P
I wouldn't pick up the phone while he was talking to me though, unless I knew it was something rather important.
I think I said that back in my very first post.
However, if I *did* pick up the phone while he was talking to me because there WAS something important, and he started pouting about it, then I would most certainly think "Wow, what a tender little ego that guy has..."
Have fun finding another job. If some boss that you rarely see actually comes into your office to tell you something you better not take that call.
Quote from: Barrister on March 02, 2010, 03:12:50 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on March 02, 2010, 03:08:10 PM
I'm sure most of us hadn't thought about this before this thread brought it up.
I rather we talk about curling, it's true.
The Brier starts on Saturday. :Canuck:
Its odd - I just checked and Martin isn't in it (although it also makes some sense - awful hard to turn around from the Olympics to Brier in 7 days).
But it makes for a wide open field. Could it be Jeff Stoughton from Manitoba?
I can't believe the Brier as Monsanto as a sponsor. If evil companies are remotely possible, Monsanto is the freaking flag bearer.
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 03:16:22 PM
Have fun finding another job. If some boss that you rarely see actually comes into your office to tell you something you better not take that call.
I wouldn't have a problem with that, as I'd prefer to not work for someone who's strung so tight.
Quote from: Grey Fox on March 02, 2010, 03:17:36 PM
Quote from: Barrister on March 02, 2010, 03:12:50 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on March 02, 2010, 03:08:10 PM
I'm sure most of us hadn't thought about this before this thread brought it up.
I rather we talk about curling, it's true.
The Brier starts on Saturday. :Canuck:
Its odd - I just checked and Martin isn't in it (although it also makes some sense - awful hard to turn around from the Olympics to Brier in 7 days).
But it makes for a wide open field. Could it be Jeff Stoughton from Manitoba?
I can't believe the Brier as Monsanto as a sponsor. If evil companies are remotely possible, Monsanto is the freaking flag bearer.
Take that profanity out of this thread. :mad:
#1 Answer the phone, put on hold if it's not too important.
#2 Finish quickly.
Quote from: frunk on March 02, 2010, 03:57:13 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 03:16:22 PM
Have fun finding another job. If some boss that you rarely see actually comes into your office to tell you something you better not take that call.
I wouldn't have a problem with that, as I'd prefer to not work for someone who's strung so tight.
Lucky for me, I don't work for anyone, that I am aware of, that is so insecure that they get bent out of shape over meaningless crap like that. And more to the point, my bosses, so far, have worked hard to specifically create a work environment that actively discourages that kind of petty bullshit, since it actively detracts from productivity.
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 03:16:22 PM
Have fun finding another job. If some boss that you rarely see actually comes into your office to tell you something you better not take that call.
That depends on the boss, of course. You can hardly say that everyone is the same, and they are all so insecure that they would find their ego bruised by the possibility that there might be something more important for a subordinate to deal with than themselves.
Sure, plenty are like that, but hardly all of them.
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 04:21:36 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 03:16:22 PM
Have fun finding another job. If some boss that you rarely see actually comes into your office to tell you something you better not take that call.
That depends on the boss, of course. You can hardly say that everyone is the same, and they are all so insecure that they would find their ego bruised by the possibility that there might be something more important for a subordinate to deal with than themselves.
Sure, plenty are like that, but hardly all of them.
Insecurity? I think the employee who thinks they can interrupt their boss has the ego problem. This thread is turning into a bunch of employee angst - the hallmark of insecurity.
So DGuller, spill the beans. What's the role you're in in this situation? The person who always interrupts and gets in trouble? The person who wants to interrupt, but is ignored and are fuming? The person who is always interrupted and feels the other person is being rude? Or the person who refuses to be interrupted and is now dealing with someone bitching about them?
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 04:24:27 PM
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 04:21:36 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 03:16:22 PM
Have fun finding another job. If some boss that you rarely see actually comes into your office to tell you something you better not take that call.
That depends on the boss, of course. You can hardly say that everyone is the same, and they are all so insecure that they would find their ego bruised by the possibility that there might be something more important for a subordinate to deal with than themselves.
Sure, plenty are like that, but hardly all of them.
Insecurity? I think the employee who thinks they can interrupt their boss has the ego problem. This thread is turning into a bunch of employee angst - the hallmark of insecurity.
I think blanket statements like 'you can never interrupt me no matter what' are the hallmark of insecurity. What is insecure about saying that if my boss is talking to me, I might answer an important phone call, if I judge that the call is too important to let go, but that if I decide it isn't that important, I will not answer it?
Seems pretty reasonable to me. Certainly vastly more reasonable than 'I will fire anyone who answers a phone in my most holy presence!' YMMV, of course.
I totally get lack of formality, and I love it, but I think Berkut is over-stating his point. I don't think anyone would fearlessly pick the phone up in CC's hypothetical situation without some cue from the other guy.
Will you get fired on the spot for doing it? Highly unlikely. However, rubbing your superior the wrong way is never a good idea. No matter how informal the place is, there is still some expectation of showing respect to your superior.
CC, so if you are go into your employees office to chat about something job related, but not terribly time critical or important, and their phone rings, they glance at it and then ignore it in favor of chatting with you...and you later find out that was a critical client who had time sensitive imformation that needed to be addressed ASAP, and them blowing them off in favor of not offending their boss who is known to be a bit think skinned about such things results in a serious loss of revenue...
You would be all "Good job subordinate! I am just that important, that was properly handled! Screw the client, *I* come first always!"???
Really?
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 04:34:12 PM
I totally get lack of formality, and I love it, but I think Berkut is over-stating his point. I don't think anyone would fearlessly pick the phone up in CC's hypothetical situation without some cue from the other guy.
Will you get fired on the spot for doing it? Highly unlikely. However, rubbing your superior the wrong way is never a good idea. No matter how informal the place is, there is still some expectation of showing respect to your superior.
Of course there is - which is why I answered in the affirmative that the "rank" of the person talking/calling certainly impacts the decision about whether to ignore the call or pick it up.
However, I would not assume that taking an important call would "rub your superior the wrong way" - in fact, in my hypothetical, NOT taking the call would (or should) rub your superior the wrong way.
Who wants an employee who is terrified of offending your ego so much that they don't exercise any basic good judgment?
Quote from: Jacob on March 02, 2010, 04:31:32 PM
So DGuller, spill the beans. What's the role you're in in this situation? The person who always interrupts and gets in trouble? The person who wants to interrupt, but is ignored and are fuming? The person who is always interrupted and feels the other person is being rude? Or the person who refuses to be interrupted and is now dealing with someone bitching about them?
Just some work-related stuff that made me think about the whole issue, and wonder whether my understanding of phone etiquette is reasonable.
The trigger was one too many episodes of 2) from the guy I'm supervising. The same guy also on occasion takes cell phone calls from home while we're talking, but I assumed that was clearly inappropriate, and didn't need to be discussed.
As for the first question I asked, it was related to my musings, as I was wondering whether my own habit of ignoring the work phone while talking to someone in the cube was appropriate.
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 03:16:22 PM
Have fun finding another job. If some boss that you rarely see actually comes into your office to tell you something you better not take that call.
At my company I'm allowed to take calls even if it is the CEO who has come over to my cube.
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 04:36:36 PM
CC, so if you are go into your employees office to chat about something job related, but not terribly time critical or important, and their phone rings, they glance at it and then ignore it in favor of chatting with you...and you later find out that was a critical client who had time sensitive imformation that needed to be addressed ASAP, and them blowing them off in favor of not offending their boss who is known to be a bit think skinned about such things results in a serious loss of revenue...
You would be all "Good job subordinate! I am just that important, that was properly handled! Screw the client, *I* come first always!"???
Really?
Thats not the scenario we were discussing but nice try.. The scenario you stated was after a mix up there were some non IT guys (outside your everyone is equal culture) who were now in charge. I said I highly doubted that if one of those guys, your new bosses who you dont know and rarely see, came into your office to tell you something, you would interupt them by taking a call. I further advised you that you had better not take the call but should in fact listen to what they have to say.
If you think what you are doing is more important in those circumstances - you had better be damn sure about that.
Quote from: garbon on March 02, 2010, 05:14:17 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 03:16:22 PM
Have fun finding another job. If some boss that you rarely see actually comes into your office to tell you something you better not take that call.
At my company I'm allowed to take calls even if it is the CEO who has come over to my cube.
How often does your CEO come into your cube.
edit: ok pathetic play on words. But seriously, every firm has an "open door" policy but really if the CEO actually came to talk to you would you seriously tell him to chill?
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 04:53:11 PM
The trigger was one too many episodes of 2) from the guy I'm supervising. The same guy also on occasion takes cell phone calls from home while we're talking, but I assumed that was clearly inappropriate, and didn't need to be discussed.
Calls from home are more important then at least half of the conversations I'm involved in at the office. Plus sometimes it's just faster and easier to say "excuse me this'll just take a minute... yes honey, I'll pick up some chicken for supper... sorry, I have to go I'm in the middle of something" then anything else.
That all goes for conversations with people within my 20 person office.
If someone high up from headquarters (Ottawa) is in my office, they have my undivided attention.
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 05:19:14 PM
How often does your CEO come into your cube.
edit: ok pathetic play on words. But seriously, every firm has an "open door" policy but really if the CEO actually came to talk to you would you seriously tell him to chill?
Fairly often, actually (depending on what I'm working on, sometimes I work directly under him)...and thus why I've had the occasion where I've had to take a call when he was present.
Quote from: garbon on March 02, 2010, 05:23:36 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 05:19:14 PM
How often does your CEO come into your cube.
edit: ok pathetic play on words. But seriously, every firm has an "open door" policy but really if the CEO actually came to talk to you would you seriously tell him to chill?
Fairly often, actually (depending on what I'm working on, sometimes I work directly under him)...and thus why I've had the occasion where I've had to take a call when he was present.
Ok so this is more the buddy buddy kind of working atmosphere where all are equal Berkut says he is used to.
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 05:24:42 PM
Ok so this is more the buddy buddy kind of working atmosphere where all are equal Berkut says he is used to.
Somewhat yeah. The CEO did call me a friend once, when on the phone with his boyfriend. :unsure:
Under the CEO? :perv:
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 05:18:33 PM
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 04:36:36 PM
CC, so if you are go into your employees office to chat about something job related, but not terribly time critical or important, and their phone rings, they glance at it and then ignore it in favor of chatting with you...and you later find out that was a critical client who had time sensitive imformation that needed to be addressed ASAP, and them blowing them off in favor of not offending their boss who is known to be a bit think skinned about such things results in a serious loss of revenue...
You would be all "Good job subordinate! I am just that important, that was properly handled! Screw the client, *I* come first always!"???
Really?
Thats not the scenario we were discussing but nice try.. The scenario you stated was after a mix up there were some non IT guys (outside your everyone is equal culture) who were now in charge. I said I highly doubted that if one of those guys, your new bosses who you dont know and rarely see, came into your office to tell you something, you would interupt them by taking a call. I further advised you that you had better not take the call but should in fact listen to what they have to say.
If you think what you are doing is more important in those circumstances - you had better be damn sure about that.
Fair enough - I misunderstood then, I did not realize we were talking about that particular scenario, but more in general.
You are right - if a boss who I did not know well came in to have a chat with me, it would take a pretty damn important call for me to take it, and then I would most certainly make it a point to stress that the call was very important, etc., etc.
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 06:16:34 PM
You are right - if a boss who I did not know well came in to have a chat with me, it would take a pretty damn important call for me to take it, and then I would most certainly make it a point to stress that the call was very important, etc., etc.
If you don't know him, how would you know he's a boss? :tinfoil:
Quote from: garbon on March 02, 2010, 06:32:15 PMIf you don't know him, how would you know he's a boss? :tinfoil:
Immediate boss, earlier in the day: Big Shot VP in charge of funding our unit is on the premises today.
Later:
Person not recognized: Who are you and what exactly is it you do?
Berkut (ignoring the ringing phone): I'm Berkut, you must be Big Shot VP.
... end the scenario as appropriate.
Quote from: DGuller on March 02, 2010, 10:37:29 AM
The question is about phone etiquette at work, in two different situations.
1) Someone comes over to your cube/office, and you talk about work. In the middle of talking, your work phone rings. What do you do?
2) You're talking on your cell phone, and someone comes over to your cube/office to talk work. What do you do?
Does the answer to either question depend on the rank of someone talking to you?
1) I always pick up the phone, regardless of the rank of the person in front of me. Because maybe the person calling me is my boss. Even if my boss is in front of me, I'll still pick up the phone, because maybe HIS boss is the one calling me. Of course, what I say after I pick up the phone will depend on the situation. If my boss calls me, I'll ask whoever is in front of me to leave. If my boss is in front of me, I'll say I'll call back later (unless it is his boss).
2) I don't use my cell phone in the office. I just use silent mode and ignore every call.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 02, 2010, 07:07:39 PM
2) I don't use my cell phone in the office. I just use silent mode and ignore every call.
Same. :hug:
Another thing is, I can't continue my person-to-person conversation if the phone is ringing. It is disturbing as hell.
Quote from: Berkut on March 02, 2010, 04:36:36 PM
You would be all "Good job subordinate! I am just that important, that was properly handled! Screw the client, *I* come first always!"???
Really?
In your hypothetical, how much does the client charge per hour?
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 02, 2010, 05:18:33 PM
Thats not the scenario we were discussing but nice try.. The scenario you stated was after a mix up there were some non IT guys (outside your everyone is equal culture) who were now in charge. I said I highly doubted that if one of those guys, your new bosses who you dont know and rarely see, came into your office to tell you something, you would interupt them by taking a call. I further advised you that you had better not take the call but should in fact listen to what they have to say.
If you think what you are doing is more important in those circumstances - you had better be damn sure about that.
Maybe I am conflating two near-identical statements by you, but aren't you the boss in your scenario? After all, you noted that a fellow employee better not take a phone call in your presence.
Quote from: garbon on March 02, 2010, 06:32:15 PM
If you don't know him, how would you know he's a boss? :tinfoil:
:lol:
I don't know, I can't see not taking the call, particularly if it's a boss I don't directly report to. I don't get calls that aren't important or at the least have some time sensitive nature to them. A boss coming by who I'm not immediately involved with would be highly unusual and unlikely to be of the highest priority (that would go through my immediate superior). I'm not responsible if he gets offended by my picking up a phone, although I would at least excuse myself for doing it and try to keep the call short.
I despise the shut up finger flick they give when a phone call comes in.
Thank god I don't have to tolerate that shit much anymore.
Quote from: grumbler on March 03, 2010, 10:05:59 AM
Maybe I am conflating two near-identical statements by you, but aren't you the boss in your scenario? After all, you noted that a fellow employee better not take a phone call in your presence.
Yes you are getting confused. I dont have fellow employees. I am more like the boss that people rarely see coming to their work station. If I do come to see someone during the day they know that it is not merely to "chat" but it is because I have something important to say to them.
If they are going to interupt what I have to tell them by taking a call it they would only do so if it was very important and, as Berkut said early, they would let me know it was so.
I give tasks out and I let my associates and support staff carry out those tasks. I give them a great amount of independance and autonomy so a visit from me is literally not an everday event.
On the other hand people always drop by my office if they need further instructions or if they have questions. I also do not take any phone calls when they come to my office. I have voice mail for a reason. If I am on the phone I indicate to people waiting outside my office how long I will likely be and they can judge for themselves whether they wish to camp outside my door or come back later.
They main exception to all of this is my secretary. She pretty much runs my professional life and so she does whatever she wishes - including hitting me over the head if she needs to get my attention while I am on a call.
Sounds very sensible. I can see why you got to bill at such a high rate.
In scenario 1, say "excuse me", pick up the phone, ask secretary who is on the line, if this is important (e.g. urgent transaction or otherwise urgent call), excuse myself and take the call; if it can wait, instruct my secretary that I'm in a meeting right now and will call back.
In scenario 2, usually won't quit a work-related phone call (unless it seems like there is an extreme urgency). If this is a private call, the decision whether to quit or not depends on the apparent urgency of the visitor and his or her rank.
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 03, 2010, 11:56:13 AM
Quote from: grumbler on March 03, 2010, 10:05:59 AM
Maybe I am conflating two near-identical statements by you, but aren't you the boss in your scenario? After all, you noted that a fellow employee better not take a phone call in your presence.
Yes you are getting confused. I dont have fellow employees. I am more like the boss that people rarely see coming to their work station. If I do come to see someone during the day they know that it is not merely to "chat" but it is because I have something important to say to them.
:lol: So I am confused because I am
precisely correct: you
are the boss in your scenario? :lol:
QuoteIf they are going to interupt what I have to tell them by taking a call it they would only do so if it was very important and, as Berkut said early, they would let me know it was so.
I used to work for a guy like you: if he was talking to you, and the customer called, you must answer, or the boss gets mad. If it isn't the customer and you answer, the boss gets mad. Of course, you don't know it is the customer until you answer. Ditto for things like asking the customer a question (ask if the customer expects you to ask and don't if the customer doesn't).
Our (the team's) policy (which we kept until the asshole lost his job over his complete inability to lead a team) was to do exactly the opposite of what we did the previous time. It was only correct half the time, but at least we had a policy (and in the face of jerks, that helps morale a lot).
I reckon that, since you don't have fellow-employees, you aren't going to get fired, so the only thing your rules will do badly for you is maybe harm the retention of good people.
Quote from: grumbler on March 03, 2010, 01:48:29 PM
I used to work for a guy like you: if he was talking to you, and the customer called, you must answer, or the boss gets mad. If it isn't the customer and you answer, the boss gets mad. Of course, you don't know it is the customer until you answer.
Caller ID?
You can't always tell from caller id who it is. Caller ID doesn't always list a name or even a number for that matter.
I agree with grumbler. Your asshole tactics might make you feel big and important, but it sure does nothing for morale.
Quote from: grumbler on March 03, 2010, 01:48:29 PM
I reckon that, since you don't have fellow-employees, you aren't going to get fired, so the only thing your rules will do badly for you is maybe harm the retention of good people.
Since I have retained all my associates (the most senior being an 8 year call) and my support staff have been with me since I was an associate I will take your comment for what it is worth.
Quote from: Jaron on March 03, 2010, 02:53:39 PM
I agree with grumbler. Your asshole tactics might make you feel big and important, but it sure does nothing for morale.
Morale can be improved with more beatings.
Quote from: Ed Anger on March 03, 2010, 04:19:44 PM
Quote from: Jaron on March 03, 2010, 02:53:39 PM
I agree with grumbler. Your asshole tactics might make you feel big and important, but it sure does nothing for morale.
Morale can be improved with more beatings.
Is that why something on your body is always busted up, "Wheels" ?
Quote from: Jaron on March 03, 2010, 05:05:10 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on March 03, 2010, 04:19:44 PM
Quote from: Jaron on March 03, 2010, 02:53:39 PM
I agree with grumbler. Your asshole tactics might make you feel big and important, but it sure does nothing for morale.
Morale can be improved with more beatings.
Is that why something on your body is always busted up, "Wheels" ?
I want a taco platter, no lettuce. Chop chop.
No platter? You are fired J-Dawg. Security will escort you outside and dump your box of stuff in a puddle.
Quote from: Ed Anger on March 03, 2010, 07:14:59 PM
No platter? You are fired J-Dawg. Security will escort you outside and dump your box of stuff in a puddle.
:wacko: