jakorte's blog

I have a friend who swears that her particular pitch of voice is inaudible to her husband. Unless she speaks to the dog, then he always hears her.

I think I have the same problem with some of the people I work with. Either that or they’re just tired of me. Or, tired of their jobs. I get frustrated weekly having to remind folks of the same rules. I send memo after memo about missing paperwork, not following pay rules, not adhering to equitable company policies. I spell it out in black and white; I repeat myself patiently, most times.

Although, lately, knowing that I have a deadline to get this information through to these employees is causing me to reevaluate how I communicate. I’m trying teaching tools; work sheets, rules summaries, examples of correct items. Not working. I’m trying to get them to work backwards from the problem, so they can follow the trail in a new way. Not working. I’m trying not to get annoyed when I am interrupted with the incorrect answer before I can finish my explanation. Not working.

So, do I speak too slowly, too softly, too deliberately? My dad would get a laugh out of that. I used to naturally speed talk. Seriously, many times he would hold up his hand, and command me to, “Slow down!” “Your mouth is moving a mile a minute. You’re gonna get a speeding ticket,” he’d say. It’s just that my thoughts ran so fast, I was afraid I’d forget them if I didn’t spit them out on the spot.

I believe I have conquered that adolescent affliction, but perhaps to my detriment. I tend to make mental notes or jot written notes more than I speak, now. I tend to think a little too long on an answer sometimes. I’ve been told that sometimes this makes me seem aloof or uninterested, or not that smart. I think I prefer all of those things to my previous pattern of saying whatever comes to mind. I have spoken a lot of words I wish I could take back, and some that others won’t forgive me for.

I’ve spent a lot of time training myself to react slower. Ok, so now what? It’s time to speed back up a bit? I don’t think so. If you don’t have the patience to wait for what I’m not saying, you’ll never stand still for what I do have to say.

jak