Jerry MacLaren has this running joke with the sales reps in Tyler.

“I often like to joke with them that I wished I had some Matrix-style chip in the back of my head to store all of the information that they provide me about potential clients,” Jerry says. “I wish I could just brain-dump that into my head.”

The East Texas Enterprise Solutions Specialist surrounds himself inside the office bullpen with folks who sell something else… office equipment solutions. It’s not uncommon for him to approach one of his colleagues to inquire about a current copier customer to investigate whether they’d be a strong candidate for the cloud-based phone systems or managed IT services he introduces to prospects.

Doing so takes a lot of questions, a lot of discussions, and, yes, interruptions. But Jerry is the consummate professional. With more than 26 years of IT sales experience, you can overhear Jerry’s personable nature with prospects over the phone throughout the workday. You also hear it with his coworkers. Culturally speaking, there’s great value in that.

Dealing with Interruptions positively is one thing. Delivering them? It also takes a certain skillset – one that Jerry has mastered with his polite way of communication.

Studies show that the average worker is interrupted somewhere between 4 to 12 times every hour. That’s one interruption every 15 minutes, in the best-case scenario. In the spirit of positive office communication, are we respecting the ideas, opinions, and TIME of others? When we’re tempted to interrupt a colleague or introduce an urgent task, how do we do so in a respectful, reasonable manner?
Let’s get Jerry’s insights on this.

Do your homework (before the interaction).

The first step to asking for help isn’t to ask — it’s to confirm if your question is worth asking. This means doing your homework.

“I first take a look at the notes I see in an account’s activities if they’re a current (copier) account,” Jerry said. “I’ll also jump into LinkedIn and do any research I can do, and if it looks like it’s worthy of my time, only then will I go to the rep and ask for details. By pre-qualifying an account or contact with a little research, I can potentially avoid having to bother a rep at all.”

If you are asking a question such as “what does X mean?” (where there is a right or wrong answer), try looking for the answer yourself by searching online and digging through your inbox, team folder, and company intranet. The idea isn’t to open every last file or email or visit every website; it’s to do what you can yourself so that you make the most of your precious time with others.

Ask for their time (before you ask for favors).

Very important, Jerry says: ask, don’t tell.

“It’s a simple thing, but asking for permission for their time up front goes a long way in showing respect and appreciation,” Jerry said. “It’s ‘Have you got a moment for me, Jeff? Would this be a good time, I have a question.’ Not, ‘hey, I need this now. Help me.’”

In that same spirit, when it comes to the best time and place to ask a question, put yourself in the other person’s shoes. When is the least disruptive time to approach this person? What is their preferred method of communication?

Use the Tools Available (and lessen the interruption).

We’re fortunate to have a variety of technology tools available that can lessen the immediate interruption. These involve email, texting, and tools like Intermedia’s Elevate that have presence indicators that let you know whether that person is currently on their phone, in an online meeting, or otherwise unavailable.

A great example: Last month Jerry attended a Lindale Chamber of Commerce luncheon and wanted to invite his copier rep colleagues. Whether then barge into their cubicle to see if they wanted to join him, he registered himself and then sent an online invitation to them with a message: “would you all be interested in joining me at this? I hear they’ve got great speakers.”

Show your homework. (and certainly your gratitude).

When it comes to asking your question, style can be as important as substance. How you frame your question can mean the difference between getting the help you need (and not) and building a good professional reputation (and not). To make the best impression possible, don’t just ask your question; share all the hard work you’ve done to help yourself before involving other people.

Another way to show your gratitude? Reciprocate. In Jerry’s case, this means a simple means of “give and take.”

“It’s just important to my management that I collaborate with the copier reps. There’s give and take. I’m expected to not only discover IT and phone opportunities but to also keep my eyes and ears open to potential copier opportunities as well.”

In the end, asking for help is only partly about getting help. It’s also about proving that you deserve the help. Though less instantly gratifying than pulling a coworker aside the instant a question comes up and disappearing immediately afterward, a bit of extra legwork can make a big difference in your productivity, not to mention your reputation.