You're asking how to make someone change their speech patterns?

mrsconn23

Dear Prudence,

A new colleague was recently transferred to my department at work. While she’s great at the job, she has a habit that drives me up a wall. Every time someone shares an anecdote with her, she repeats the final sentence several times in a row and riffs on it. For example, I told her about an obnoxious client, and ended the story by saying, “I’m not a fan of his.” She responded by saying, “Not a fan. Not even a little bit. Not. A. Fan. Would not cheer for his team, even if they paid me.”

I know that this rhetorical technique is probably an attempt at building rapport, but I never know what to say afterwards. It would be one thing if it happened occasionally, but it’s how she ends every. single. conversation. Any advice about how to change up this pattern? I want to connect with her better, but I find myself avoiding casual chats because of her parrot-like tendencies.

— Mimicked in Michigan

banana468

This is possibly not something that can't be controlled - so can you just learn to get over it?? 

charlotte989875

This is a you problem. Is it weird? Maybe. But it’s not offensive so you need to let it go. 

STARMOON44

I would hate this and simply not speak to this person unless necessary. 

mrsconn23

There are two people at work (both men) who talk, and talk, and talk. I know going into a conversation with them that it's very possible that I will have to just abruptly be all, "gotta go!" and scurry off. 

I also try my best to just not talk to them.  LOL  

LW, if you have to talk to her, keep it as brief as possible. Don't make off-handed comments since she seems to riff on that type of conversation.  Direct questions, yes or no answers, don't talk about other people unless it's, "OH you'll need to reach out to Greg to discuss xyz."  And realize that while she may be a perfectly fine person, you may just not like her and that's OK.  

climbingsingle

Get over it. You're going to encounter a lot of extremely annoying people in your career. 

ei34

If she's doing it on the final sentence, could you just walk away?  Or if you don't want to look rude, tune her out?  (I know tuning out can be tougher for some...I suggest it only bc many of the students that I work with have similar tics / habits that they can't help, they get easier to ignore over time.)

MyNameIsNot

I mean, she's showing that she's paying attention to your story and trying to engage with it. Maybe it's annoying, but it's probably one of the most innocuous things you're going to encounter when you're forced to interact with people you didn't choose all day. 

I'd take her over the guy who used to sit behind me an loudly clear his throat 87 times an hour. Or anyone who microwaves fish.

kerbohl

MyNameIsNot said:

I mean, she's showing that she's paying attention to your story and trying to engage with it. Maybe it's annoying, but it's probably one of the most innocuous things you're going to encounter when you're forced to interact with people you didn't choose all day. 

I'd take her over the guy who used to sit behind me an loudly clear his throat 87 times an hour. Or anyone who microwaves fish.

That was me.  I'm sorry, my sense of smell doesn't work well and I legitimately didn't know this was a thing until recently.  I did not know that microwaved fish smelled bad.