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Every unscheduled visit or telephone call you receive is an interruption. And, not all interruptions are unwelcome or unnecessary, but they stop you doing what you planned to do, and there are probably too many of them in your life.
Handling Interruptions
There is research that indicates that the average number of interruptions in a business day is 50. How should you handle them?
Follow along to learn how Larry and Janet like to deal with interruptions in their own, individual - and incorrect - ways.
Larry: I try, if at all possible, not to allow interruptions. I will not see a visitor without an appointment, for example.
Larry looks confident and a bit smug.
Janet: I couldn't be so tough on people. I figure, if someone has gone to the trouble of coming to see me, or telephone me, the least I can do is spare them some time.
Larry and Janet are extreme and dogmatic. An interruption is not something to be welcomed or refused per se. What matters is that you deal with any interruption in a way that uses your time properly.
Faced with an interruption, focus your attention on controlling the occasion, and do so in a way that makes the best use of your time.
Exercise - Handle Interruptions
You have noticed that Hellen, one of your co-workers, does not seem to know how to handle the interruptions she experiences in the form of unscheduled visits and telephone calls.
What do you advise her to do the next time she is interrupted?
1 - Automatically refuse the interruption.
2 - Control what happens when she is interrupted.
3 - Happily accept the interruption.
4 - Aim to use her time as well as possible.
You should not automatically accept or refuse interruptions. What's important is to control the occasion, so that you make the best use of your time.
Option 1: This choice is incorrect. Hellen should not automatically refuse the interruption. She should give the right amount of time and attention to the interruption and the subject. Then she should end the conversation when she feels it is necessary.
Option 2: This choice is correct. Hellen needs to control what happens. She needs to look at each interruption as it happens. Then she should allocate time as she see fit, making sure that what happens during the interruption is what she wants.
Option 3: This choice is incorrect. Hellen should not happily accept the interruption. She should give the right amount of time and attention to the interruption and the subject. Then she should end the conversation when she feels it is necessary.
Option 4: This choice is correct. Hellen should make sure her time is used wisely. She should give the right amount of time and attention to the interruption and the subject. Then she should end the conversation when she feels it is necessary.
Example - Handling Interruptions
The starting point for responding to interruptions is that you are an adult human being with free will, and that you aim to squeeze the most you can out of your precious day. You look at each interruption as it happens, and allocate time to it as you see fit. You work to make sure that what happens during the unplanned visit or telephone call is what you want to happen.
Todd can hardly believe it when he sees how little control some of his colleagues have over what happens when they are interrupted. Personally, he follows a simple procedure that allows him to remain in charge, and act in a way that is time efficient.
Follow along Todd's thoughts about handling interruptions procedure to learn more.
Allocate time:
"I give the right amount of time to the interruption."
Control content:
"I take action to ensure that what we discuss is what we should be discussing."
And, control close:
"I do what is required to end the visit when I want it to end."
The number of interruptions you face is not, in itself, a problem. You can cope with any volume, provided you have the appropriate strategy in place.
Exercise - Handling Interruptions
Hellen has learned that handling interruptions effectively is a matter of taking control of the occasion by following a simple procedure. Help her to match each element of the procedure to the corresponding action required.
Here you have the options:
A - Allocate time.
B - Control content.
C - Control the close.
And here you have the targets:
1 - Do what you have to in order to bring the interruption to an end.
2 - Permit the interruption the amount of time it should have.
3 - Do what you need to so that the subject under discussion is always appropriate. (...)
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