Phrasing is Everything
A couple of hours into the day, Hefé walked up to me and said, “You want empowerment, you got it. After you finish what you’re doing, I need you to come over to the other site with me. I’m going to get you squared away on a project and it’s up to you to execute.”
I told him that I was more than disappointed that he had managed to slip a couple of bullshit business school jargon words in there, but that I was still ready for the challenge. As a little background, I spoke with him last week off to the side indicating my desire to step up and take on more responsibility.
In my interview, Hefé and I talked about my ability to step up and be a leader as well as taking on some different challenges based on the different skill set I bring to the table with my education and previous experience in the business world and all. I’d like to start making good on that now that I’ve had three months to work out my rust.
Hefé elaborated that I’d be supervising the waterproofing of the foundation on our new project. This meant I’d be involved in some digging, tar application, and just all around dirty, nasty work.
Because of the way he had presented the job to me, I couldn’t wait to get over there and get started. This was a rough task that pretty much anyone would be right to dread, but I was jumping in my pants to get over there and start it. It’s all because Hefé presented it as my chance to prove I can be in charge. The cynical part of me wonders if he’s just a smart enough manager to know how to pull those strings to motivate people, but what the hell, I was all about giving it a shot; treading water only satisfies me for a short time.
He told me that I would be in charge of making sure that this happened correctly. We went over the project and he gave me The Lumberjack to direct. Unfortunately, I would have to tell The Lumberjack to dig out some footings while I was working on something else.
I felt bad telling him to go dig in that rock-hard soil while I was off doing something else, and I tried to communicate to him that Hefé had instructed me to have him dig; it wasn’t just me being lazy like someone else we all know and love. I think he understood; I’m planning to have one of the bi-lingual Mexicans translate the situation for me next chance I get. I don’t want them thinking I’m just another lazy white man that wants the Mexicans to do all of the hard work. But I’m pretty sure they already know that, hence my title of Gringo Mexicano.
At the end of the day, I went home covered in tar and happy at my ability to “manage” the situation. It was at that moment that I contrasted my current situation with the tar experience of a couple of months ago. I realized how differently my outlook on doing the work was given the way the job request had been phrased. Hmmm, maybe I’ll have to turn “phrasing” into the next new-wave management cult. I can travel around and get paid to pontificate at workplace conventions on the benefits of asking in the right way. On second thought, I’ll stay in Tahoe. I weighed 166 pounds today.
I told him that I was more than disappointed that he had managed to slip a couple of bullshit business school jargon words in there, but that I was still ready for the challenge. As a little background, I spoke with him last week off to the side indicating my desire to step up and take on more responsibility.
In my interview, Hefé and I talked about my ability to step up and be a leader as well as taking on some different challenges based on the different skill set I bring to the table with my education and previous experience in the business world and all. I’d like to start making good on that now that I’ve had three months to work out my rust.
Hefé elaborated that I’d be supervising the waterproofing of the foundation on our new project. This meant I’d be involved in some digging, tar application, and just all around dirty, nasty work.
Because of the way he had presented the job to me, I couldn’t wait to get over there and get started. This was a rough task that pretty much anyone would be right to dread, but I was jumping in my pants to get over there and start it. It’s all because Hefé presented it as my chance to prove I can be in charge. The cynical part of me wonders if he’s just a smart enough manager to know how to pull those strings to motivate people, but what the hell, I was all about giving it a shot; treading water only satisfies me for a short time.
He told me that I would be in charge of making sure that this happened correctly. We went over the project and he gave me The Lumberjack to direct. Unfortunately, I would have to tell The Lumberjack to dig out some footings while I was working on something else.
I felt bad telling him to go dig in that rock-hard soil while I was off doing something else, and I tried to communicate to him that Hefé had instructed me to have him dig; it wasn’t just me being lazy like someone else we all know and love. I think he understood; I’m planning to have one of the bi-lingual Mexicans translate the situation for me next chance I get. I don’t want them thinking I’m just another lazy white man that wants the Mexicans to do all of the hard work. But I’m pretty sure they already know that, hence my title of Gringo Mexicano.
At the end of the day, I went home covered in tar and happy at my ability to “manage” the situation. It was at that moment that I contrasted my current situation with the tar experience of a couple of months ago. I realized how differently my outlook on doing the work was given the way the job request had been phrased. Hmmm, maybe I’ll have to turn “phrasing” into the next new-wave management cult. I can travel around and get paid to pontificate at workplace conventions on the benefits of asking in the right way. On second thought, I’ll stay in Tahoe. I weighed 166 pounds today.
posted by fuqstik @ 7:46 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home