What do you do mooch coworkers who just never seem to be prepared?  They borrow money, pens, staplers and scissors.   They mooch cigarettes, help themselves to your lunch and even wear your ties and uniforms.  They aren’t bad people, they’re just… well… irritating.

Perhaps they grew up in a family environment where everything was just considered communal property.  Perhaps their minds are just on different priorities. Maybe they haven’t learned the skill of planning in advance.  Or, of course, maybe they’re just lazy.  The good news, though, is that most are trainable over time.

The best way to deal with a mooch is to be proactive, and have a little fun with along the way.  The next time you are working together begin quizzing him (her) before he has the chance to ask you for something. E.g. “Hi Bob. Did you bring your pen?” Do this a few times, and he might start thinking that maybe you’re trying to tell him something.

It makes the point even faster if you can be prepared with a bit of a rapid-fire list to quiz him on.   For example: “Hi Bob. Got your pen? Bring a notepad? Did you print out the report we will be reviewing? Did you bring your wallet this time?” He’ll get the message pretty fast.

Try it and see what happens. You will likely find that you won’t have to do it very often to get your mooch to make a permanent change.