I don’t remember the name of the game, but you might? You sat in a circle and one person started. You whispered something in the ear of the person next to you and then they in turn repeated what you said to them in the ear of the person next to them. Not you again of course, but the other side.
Did you play that game?
Did your story make it around that circle in tact? I’m going with, no.
Maybe not enough people played that game when they were young. Maybe I and the small group that did play that game were the only ones? Because at almost 50 years old, I am still amazed and surprised that some think that the best way to communicate.
This recently happened to me and it involved a very complicated process that I had about 2 hours worth of training 6 month ago for. A process that according the the training, if not done correctly “can result in massive fines and criminal exposure”. Yet those in charge think that a couple hours of online training and a power point deck can protect them from massive fines and criminal exposure.
Two years ago I had a situation, two actually. A he said, he said and a she said, she said. Right, a couple of my favorite things. So I gave everyone the opportunity to clear the air. Two of them sitting in front of me, opening the opportunity to be fair and not point any fingers. Yeah, that didn’t work either.
Some how it’s a smart thing to do, to put someone in the middle who has half the information and communicate for the other’s in the mix. You know so that it can get even more cloudy and removed from what is really being said or needs to be done.
Basically what I am saying is I am more than willing to communicate what I am doing to all involved. But I can not know what one person is thinking or why the other person isn’t on the same page, then step in and try to communicate the first persons message to the second person.
See!! CRAP, that doesn’t even make sense! Fastest point from A to B? A TO B!!!
Now I’m thinking about that quote, “the buck stops here.” I’ve always been that way. Maybe because I’m from Missouri and grew up not far from Independence where Harry Truman lived. Maybe I should pass it more? Even when I know what the hell is going on.
Mickey, if you and Minnie had conversation and you then you told me one thing and Minnie told me something else. Mickey is it really my responsibility to tell Minnie what you said? Or maybe shouldn’t you have that conversation again, the one I didn’t hear so that you are on the same page?
If it has the potential to damaging, or costly, I suggest you two talk again and leave me out of it.
Let me just say this. If you are a business and have a process that can open your company up to fines and criminal exposure. I suggest you hire experienced trained individuals to do that work. At the very least send them to training that last’s longer than 2 hours and require they get some kind of certification.
Call me crazy, I’m just say’n.