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Irksome colleague uses the office coffee station as his personal ‘TED Talk’ summary stage: ‘He goes into detail like he is trying to recite the transcript’

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  • "Do I just accept my fate as a captive audience...?
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  • "Coworker gives unsolicited TED Talk summaries at every coffee break"

    I cannot believe this is my reality but here we are. I am 26F and I work in a medium sized office where the coffee station is basically the social hub.
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  • People stop there to gossip a little or complain about printers and then head back to work.
  • At least that used to be the vibe. Enter my coworker who I will call Brian.
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  • Brian discovered TED Talks about three months ago and it has completely taken over his personality.
  • Every single time someone goes for coffee, he appears like a ghost. He will stand there waiting for someone to make eye contact and then launch into "So I watched this amazing TED Talk last night about resilience in jellyfish communities" or "There was a talk about how success is just breathing differently." I wish I was joking.
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  • At first it was kind of funny and people humored him. But now it is every single day and multiple times a day.
  • He does not just summarize. He goes into detail like he is trying to recite the transcript.
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  • Sometimes he even makes us stand in a little circle while he pretends to be the speaker.
  • I once went to grab tea and he cornered me for fifteen minutes explaining how "failure is actually a gift from the universe." I missed a call because of it.
  • black desk phone sitting on a desk in an office setting
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  • The worst part is that he expects reactions. If you just nod and leave he follows you down the hallway like you are his audience.
  • I have started sneaking my coffee mug in early just to avoid running into him. Other people admitted they switched to energy drinks just so they would not have to go near the coffee machine.
  • We tried joking about it in front of him like "oh here comes our resident professor" and he just smiled and said "knowledge is contagious." Someone suggested HR but technically he is not doing anything "wrong." It is just unbearable.
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  • So do I just accept my fate as a captive audience to Brian's coffee break lectures or is there some polite way to tell him to shut up?
  • Has anyone else worked with someone who thinks every breakroom moment is their personal stage?
  • ExtremeFamous7699 My response would be to reply has he seen the TedTalk on Individuals who have made talking about TedTalks their entire personality and how he should look it up right now
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  • Altruistic_Net_2670 Eye contact, kind face, "No Thank You", then turn around n walk away If he follows • eye contact, more serious still kind face slower...No Thank You
  • GrannyMayJo Start sending him links to TED talks about oversharing, self awareness, conversation etiquette and social cues.
  • aw284 I had a coworker that would go on and on about his wife and daughters. Not the nicest things either. We were both at our computers and I was only half paying attention because he's so loud. I heard the part when he said "...you probably don't care about this stuff." I looked him in the eye and said, "I really don't." He laughed but then got up and went to find someone else to talk their ear off. Some people just need a direct comment.

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