The "Quick Question"
If I had a nickle for every time says "Can I ask you a quick question" - then I could have retired about 10 years ago.
I honestly do not mind answering questions, if they pertain to my job, I really don't. I am very happy to help someone that needs it because sometimes I need assistance too.
However, the pet peeve is that although your question may be quick, the answer and solution isn't.
Example:
Employee: Can I ask you a quick question
Me: Sure
Employee: Can you give me all the revenue collections for the past 8 years broken down by tax type and by month?
Me: Uh.....I can but it will take me a while to put all that together
Employee: Okay - just send it to me when done and I need it for a meeting with the president of the company in 1 hour.
Employee: Walks away
All questions are quick, right?
Question: Will you explain evolution?
Question: Will you tell me the name of every US President in order?
Question: Will you give me directions to Kalamazoo?
All of the answers are quick - but the answers (other than telling them Yes I will or No, I won't) but the solution to the question is not quick.
The biggest annoyance is though is that they won't wait for the answer.
For instance, today someone asked me for a telephone number. I don't have 1,000 telephone numbers memorized.
I said "It is on this website, let's look it up"
While looking it up, I see the website had been modified so I was having trouble finding the number
The employee didn't want to wait around 30 seconds for me to locate it so said
"Just email it to me when you find it" and walked away.
Now, I am spending MY time looking for a phone number, that he needs but HE is too busy to look it up himself but yet it doesn't bother him that it interupts my work day or takes time away from my schedule.
If you ask me a "quick question" - at least be decent enough to hang around for the answer - no matter how long it takes.
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