DEAR MISS MANNERS: Due to a pretty bad injury years ago, I now work a job that is 100% remote. This means many, many video meetings. Most meetings start with the “Hi, how are you?” or “Good game on Sunday, did you see it?” questions and random chitchat. But for the past couple of weeks, topics I consider unprofessional have been brought up. Examples: A couple people discuss vaccines, and one will sarcastically ask, “Did you get your updated booster?” and the other will respond, “Not yet — my memory chip implant hasn’t expired.” Or they’ll say outright, “It’s all a gimmick.” Other times, they have brought up local-to-them politics, which quickly shifts into discussions of national politics. How do I politely ask that these subjects not be discussed? I would ask the person who created the meeting, but they’re one of my work friends and everyone knows that.
GENTLE READER: Ah, but you have not heard Miss Manners’ answer, for which a sympathetic boss will be a bonus: Tell the meeting creator the real problem, but then ask that it be dealt with by limiting the chitchat time so that you can get down to business.
(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, [email protected]; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
