How do you deal with distracting coworkers who stand in the way of your progress?

"When I have run into this situation in the past, I have typically just set a kind, but clear, boundary and tell my coworker that I need to focus at the moment. I have offered an alternate time for a catch-up, over lunch for example. It is important for the sake of workplace culture to set aside time to be social with coworkers, so I usually just let them know when I'll be available for a quick break in the day."

"If I have a distracting co-worker, I will highlight the distraction right away while remaining kind. I feel it's always best to nip issues in the bud before they get out of control. Overall, I'm very good at setting personal and professional boundaries, so this has never been much of an issue for me. I've found that if I'm clear that my time is currently allocated to another task, people respect that and are happy to catch up and be social at another specified time."

Prior to your interview at Procter and Gamble, put some thought into your experience in working with distracting coworkers and how you've handled those situations in a positive manner. As you answer, point out your ability to talk with your colleagues and point out why their behavior is limiting productivity. Don't hesitate to elaborate on why a distracting colleague can wreak havoc on a team effort and make sure your interviewer walks away knowing that you are a fun and focused employee that would join their team.

"In my volunteer role, I was responsible for answering the phone, checking email, and answering chat messages from the website. Another volunteer often lingered in the office and would want to show me videos, which was very distracting. I was upfront with this volunteer and let them know that being trusted with the position meant a lot to me and that I needed to focus my attention on my tasks. I also shared that I only had two hours a day to complete all the tasks, and answering the chats required a lot of attention and focus so that I could promptly provide accurate information. I told them I appreciated their friendship and would love to socialize with them after hours or on our breaks, but when at my desk, I needed it to be quiet so I could focus on my responsibilities. They appreciated the conversation and admitted they hadn't realized how much of a distraction they had been. I believe that being honest and direct sometimes is the best way to communicate in a situation like this."

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