Afraid to Bother Her by Nancy Chek

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Nancy Dorrier said, “Answer all my voice mail messages and emails, even if it’s to say you got the message and will respond at a certain time later.” I was so afraid of bothering her, wasting her time. She gets so many communications.

Suddenly I remembered setting up rooms for events and experiencing the exhilaration of getting things handled, one after the other, whether I was on the set-up team or leading the team. There was not enough time to discuss the philosophical implications of anything or even to present options. We moved fast.

“Set the chairs two center rows and two wings, three-foot aisles, 150 down and 20 stacked.” “Got it!” “Fill the water pitchers.” “Got it.” “Water pitchers complete!” “Empty the wastebaskets.” “Will do.” “Wastebaskets empty!” “150 chairs down and 20 stacked! What’s next?”

It was as if the acknowledgments of messages received and jobs completed pulled the leader forward and with the leader the team, shooting for better and better results. There was zero sense that acknowledging an instruction or communicating that something was complete would bother the leader. What a foreign thought. Bother?

Why would I entertain such a ridiculous notion about emails or voicemail messages? Somehow I had separated the two in my mind: logistical work in the physical universe and communication on a business team. Communication will interrupt a business team? More like empower it.


Comments

  1. UnknownJanuary 18, 2013 at 11:15 AM

    I wonder what percent of the time when we think we have communicated well, that the receiver agrees. Might be a fun exercise.

    ReplyDelete

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