How to Ask a Colleague to Mask Up

Have you faced the awkward prospect of having to ask someone to mask up at work? There is no denying that mask-wearing has become morally loaded, which makes this conversation particularly tricky. The author offers three suggestions for how to make the request more effective: 1) Be prepared. If you know what you are going to say in advance — instead of having to come up with something on the spot — it’s a lot easier to follow through. 2) Ask in a way that allows the other person to save face. That is, you want to affirm that you don’t think the other person is a bad person, and that you aren’t rejecting them interpersonally. In essence, your script should convey, “You’re good. We’re good. But I just need you to do this thing.” 3) Be direct. A direct request, in contrast to indirect beating around the bush, is much more effective for securing someone’s compliance.