Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

We work in the real world; not in one where what we wish is true. Sometimes we simply need to teach a little.

A: I told these people what to do…and AARGH (pained expression interrupts speech).

B: How did you teach them how to do that?

A: What? What do you mean?

B: That task. Before you told them to do that task, how did you teach them how to do it?

A: Teach? What?

B: You know. They didn’t know how to do what you wanted, so you taught them how before you told them to do it, right?

A: Teach? What?

B: Let me try again. These people didn’t know how to do what you wanted. You taught them how to do it. How did you teach them how to do it?

A: Teach? What? I’m not a teacher.

B: (a least we are making some progress) So you assumed that they knew how to do that task?

A: Assumed? What? Teach? What?

B: You told me last week that your organization did unique things, things no one else could do, that is why you are a leader in the market or something.

A: Right. We are.

B: Well, if what you do is unique, your colleagues couldn’t learn it anywhere else or from anyone except you. Right?

A: silence.

B: They couldn’t learn it in college or elsewhere. So, you have to teach them before they can do it. Right?

A: Teach? What? Of course they know how to do this. They must have learned this somewhere.

B: What did you see or hear to convince you that they already knew how to do this task?

A: See? Hear? Teach? Look, people need to know some stuff to get by here.

B: Yes. I agree. So, what teaching methods did you employ to teach them so they would know some stuff?

A: Teach? What?

B: Who taught you how to teach? Who taught you how to supervise?

A: No one. I just knew.

B: Perhaps that explains the current situation. Perhaps we can start this conversation again.