The Great Lunch Debate: Balancing Historical Narratives at Work

Dear Sir/Madam, It is great to have someone with a strong sense of family history in your team. However, our advice is to politely ask your coworker, let's call him 'Johnny', to reserve Simcoe stories for coffee breaks.

It is not that we have anything against John Graves Simcoe-we don't. But when the stories keep coming about an ancestor who lived more than two centuries ago, well, it can make lunch breaks feel like postgraduate history classes. Some employees might not even have one ancestor from half a century ago, let alone two centuries. And well, while that's a bit of a sad reality, it does make most of the tales irrelevant.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, you can start by acknowledging Johnny's interest in history. Offer to share your family stories over lunch, ensuring the conversation is not one-sided. If the situation persists, try the 'smile-and-nod' strategy or politely excuse yourself whenever the conversation drifts to John Graves Simcoe. After all, there are so many other things to talk about during lunch!