The setting of the movie, Miss Congeniality, is a beauty pageant. One of the contestants is asked by the emcee, “What would be your perfect date?” She answered, “I think April 28. It’s not too hot and not too cold. You can get by with just a light jacket.”
Isn’t it the truth? How many times are we all using the same language but the communication just isn’t there. We might as well speak in different tongues.
Once, before copy machines did everything, I told a volunteer assigned to help me that I needed the three stacks of papers stapled. Okay, I left out a word . . . I should have said “collated and stapled” because I got just what I asked for in a very short time. It didn’t take her long to do exactly what I said: staple each stack.
This week, as I was in the middle of a cutting/sorting job, making a game for a workshop, two co-workers stopped by to help me. I appreciated their offer. I really did. But what a mess!
The idea was to put pieces of card stock printed with different scenarios or life conditions into a zip-lock bag. A set consisted of 3 large green pieces, 9 medium yellow, and 30 small blue. Did I mention different.
First, the Math Specialist had to know the purpose of the game. She needed to know before she could sort cards and put them in a bag. After we got that cleared up, the guy started stacking his pile into matching cards, so when the assembly line got to him, he could pick up one at a time to make a set.
Really, I appreciated them. It was almost quitting time and they didn’t want me to have to work over. And it took me only a little bit longer to do it with their help than it would have working alone.
Seriously, though, I want to communicate THANKS to them for being such good sports and for making WDMESC such a fun place to work.
Duh! Maybe it’s a good thing you used only the initials of the place where all this took place. LOL
Ha ha. I remember that movie. And it’s true. A lot of problems (and time wasters) are a result of bad communication.
Guess it was one of those times, it was more about relationships and being a team than efficiency. It reminds me of the patience required to allow or train children to help when they’re young. It’s always faster to do it yourself, but not nearly as much fun. I loved Miss Congeniality.