You can make the Busybody feel connected by engaging her in work-related conversations and activities. The key is to refuse to let her pull you into discussions of her personal life, your own, or that of the people around you. Take advantage of her social skills and ability to converse freely. And if that doesn't work, use your authority to put a stop to the time wasting.
CONNECT
Find a way to get the Busybody involved in a productive, interactive activity, such as planning employee events. Such social activities will reduce the Busybody's need to hang around her peers while they are trying to work.
Send a clear message that your time is valuable. If the Busybody is a peer, establish parameters. When the Busybody calls or shows up at your door, warn "I only have three minutes before I need to get back to this report." Delete inappropriate e-mails from the Busybody without responding.
Give Busybody bosses the time they want but direct the conversation. When you have had your fill of social banter, turn the discussion to company business. Start asking questions about work or about a meeting or presentation that you didn't attend: "Oh, by the way ..." If your boss still wants to gab, at least it will be about official business.
BUILD ON THE BUSYBODY'S STRENGTHS
Engage the Busybody in a conversation to learn whether her curiosity about other people is genuine. Take advantage of the Busybody's seemingly constant urge to circulate among her peers in the office, gathering and disseminating information. Do you have research and information-gathering needs? If the Busybody is a subordinate, assign tasks that will draw on her natural curiosity. Publishing a departmental newsletter? She will be your ace reporter. Need to inform team members of approaching workload issues or changing work processes? Call on the Busybody. Would she be interested in helping people from different departments get to know one another better and work more cooperatively? If the Busybody's interest is genuine, ask her to gather specific information from people inside or outside the company to help further your strategic and communications plans.
If the Busybody doesn't want a deeper connection with peers and does not promise to use her social skills to gather new data and information, consider the possibility that she may be trying to manipulate people. If team members report that the Busybody makes them uncomfortable and if she isn't cooperating with you, invoke your authority. Begin by starting a paper trail. Have everyone in your area regularly report in writing on the level of comfort and connectivity in the office; don't focus specifically on the Busybody, but allow the group to report on anyone and to cover any issue. If no one reports having any problems with the Busybody, you may not need to pursue further action.
If the Busybody is singled out, enforce boundaries to protect yourself - particularly is she is your boss or a peer. Gently but firmly let her know that you have limited time to spend on non-work-related conversations or activities that will delay you from getting your job done. Keep documenting. Use your best judgment. Consult your boss or someone in your human resources department if you think a problem subordinate deserves discipline or termination. At best, a Busybody is slightly annoying if sometimes amusing. At worst, a Busybody can be an enormously destructive influence, undermining your authority and diminishing the morale, productivity, and performance of the department.