You pass Susie in the hall, greet her with the typical pleasantries, and move on your way. Not more than 5 minutes later on the way to the copier, you see her again.

What do you do? You could always sport the head nod, throw a polite smile her way, or you could go all out and say hello again. This may seem like a silly nuance, but it is certainly a small aggravation of mine at work. The office I manage is located inside a gym and I frequently pass the sales managers and front desk staff multiple times a day.

The first hello is a given. However, the second and third times I run into the same people, I start to feel that my greetings are inadequate. Alright, if I’m being honest, they feel unnecessary and more like an obligation.

Do I need to start writing down scripts of things to say? I don’t want to have to pull a Michael Scott and write down different jokes to try out.

Here are some of the options I try out when I really feel like avoiding the small talk:

* Read a paper or some other "very important" memo.

* Either make a phone call or fake a phone call.

* Look straight ahead and play the “I’m only saying something if they say it first” game.

* Look at the ground and mutter “my stapler, someone took my stapler.” They’ll either think you are funny or crazy. And let’s face it; if they missed the Office Space reference they aren’t worth your time.

Does anyone else feel frustrated by the round two or three of hellos? Any other creative ideas that you would like to share that help avoid the hallway run-ins?