Gonzalo is constantly interrupted from his work due to Gary's (one of his employees) taking advantage of Gonzalo's open-door policy by coming in and sitting down in his office, only to chat about sports. Gonzalo should handle this behavior by doing which of the following?
A) Sit and listen to Gary, and when Gary is finished speaking, explain to Gary that there is a lot more to life than just sports.
B) Point at the door and demand that Gary leave immediately, and then slam the door behind Gary.
C) Work at his computer, giving very little eye contact or attention to Gary.
D) Sit and listen to Gary, and then give Gary his opinions about particular sports teams to show his knowledge and to show he cares about the same things as does Gary.
E) Purchase two tickets for a game from the Internet and give them to Gary so that Gary will leave his office and quit bothering him.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Gonzalo should make it clear to Gary that his interruptions are interfering with his work by not giving him attention or eye contact. However, he should do so in a professional and respectful manner. Option A is not direct enough, and option D would encourage more sports-related conversations. Option B is unprofessional and rude, and option E is an inappropriate use of company funds.

Gonzalo Is Constantly Interrupted from His Work Due to Gary's