"GENTLE READER: Make three signs that you can hold up when getting on the phone. The first reads, Quiet, Please. Important Source. The second says, Quiet, Please. Less Important Source, But Still Need to Hear. The last reads, Quiet, Please. None of Your Business. In addition to this but equally important Miss Manners recommends recruiting a fellow reporter or two who are willing to help shoo people out when the sign goes up."
"These signs should be used in order, and you can improvise after you've gone through the first three. But don't make too many. The idea is to amuse people enough to engage their sympathy as fellow reporters but not so much that they make a special trip to see what you'll think of next."
"DEAR MISS MANNERS: As part of my job as a news reporter, I spend a great deal of time on the telephone. The conversations I have require a lot of concentration. Often, I have been waiting all day to hear from someone and am up against a strict deadline when he or she finally calls. I must answer when the phone rings."
A reporter who must take deadline-sensitive phone calls faces frequent informal conversations and noise from coworkers gathered in the office, leaving the reporter unable to hear and work effectively. Create three visible signs to indicate call priority: "Quiet, Please. Important Source.", "Quiet, Please. Less Important Source, But Still Need to Hear.", and "Quiet, Please. None of Your Business." Recruit one or two colleagues to help shoo people out when a sign appears. Use the signs in sequence, improvise after the three, and limit sign variety so the tactic amuses but does not encourage extra attention. A separate question expresses concern about vintage crystal breaking when glasses are clinked during toasts.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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