There seems to be one in every office -- a co-worker who doesn't know when to be quiet. He rants and raves, prattling on about his weekend plans, his clients or his co-workers, and expecting you to be a captive audience. Dealing with this auditory menace doesn't have to destroy your working relationship, nor does it have to hinder your productivity. All it takes is a little strategy. Whether you prefer to deflect problems or confront them head on, you can handle this situation with relative ease and tact.

The ranter's natural enemy is someone without the time to listen, so don't make yourself a victim. When the ranter is coming, dive headlong into your work. If you don't have any work at the moment, do yourself a favor and at least look busy. An open "Solitaire" window is a sure sign that you have nothing better to do than listen to an excruciatingly long story. If the ranter doesn't get the hint, pick up the phone and explain that you have to make a call. He probably won't wait around.

Neutrality of emotion and investment drains the ranter of his energy, so don't display any feeling as he rants. Positive reactions encourage him to keep talking, while negative ones can display sympathy for his plight or make him want to go from a rant to a full-blown conversation. Be polite -- you don't have to appear uninterested -- but refrain from any discernible reactions. If the ranter feels his story isn't making an impact, he may seek more receptive audiences elsewhere.

Maybe the ranter isn't taking your hints, in which case, it's time to hit the eject button. Walking away from a rant can be the easiest solution, so don't be afraid to leave the ranter in the dust. You don't have to be conspicuous about it -- just offhandedly mention having to go to a meeting, pick something up or use the restroom. The key is to not go somewhere where he will be encouraged to follow. Saying that you're going to the break room or to have a cigarette is practically an invitation for him to come with you and continue with his tale.

If you want to be honest with your ranting co-worker, just be gentle. Never approach the topic of his ranting while you're annoyed, agitated or angry. For example, if he begins ranting about another co-worker, simply tell him that you don't feel comfortable talking about other co-workers behind their backs. If he is simply eating up your time with his ranting, tell him you'd be happy to talk sometime, but during working hours isn't an opportune time. Simply telling your co-worker to beat it or shut up is only asking for trouble, and it may lead to you being the subject of future rants administered elsewhere.

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