The not so purring solution for the workplace
Suppose you decide you want a pet. You know exactly what you want. You want your pet to bark, wag his tail, get excited when he sees you, and carry sticks when you throw them across the yard.
You have already decided to name your pet Fido.
Since you are also a person of action, you immediately head to a pet store. Before the sun goes down today, you’ll bring home a new pet. You have made a decision; it’s time to implement the solution.
When you walk into the pet store, the owner greets you and you quickly let her know that you want a pet that barks, wags its tail and carries a stick. The owner seems hesitant.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t be interested in a fluffy, quiet, meowing pet that would bring a ball of yarn?” she asks.
“Definitely not,” you reply. “I know what I want and I think it should be obvious to you that I want a dog and I want it now!”
“Well, then,” replies the owner, “we’ve got a bit of a problem. We currently have no dogs. We expect to have some soon, and I’ll be happy to call you when we get them. Of course, if you are flexible, you can consider a cat. We have a large selection of cats and can offer you a very good deal. It might take a little training, but maybe you could teach one of these cats to bark, wag their tail, and fetch sticks. Most people think that cats are very smart animals, and you seem to be one of those people who is very good at getting people or pets to do what you want.
“Very well said. I see no reason why I can’t take a cat and teach it how to be a dog. Give me the cat and I will train it.’
As the store owner writes the sale, she asks, “What are you going to name your pet?” “Fido,” you say.
How do you think Fido’s training will go? What are the odds that Fido will bark, wag his tail, and carry sticks? This may seem like a strange story, but similar dramas are played out time and time again in the workplace by otherwise perfectly normal human beings.
I believe in training. This is what I do for a living.
However, the fact remains that some people are completely unsuitable for the job they want. Spontaneous, hip-firing people are asked to handle work that requires a high level of detail, introverts are asked to handle work that requires an extrovert, bossy people are asked to handle work that requires an easy-going personality style, and so on. n. and so on.
In fact, cats are asked to behave like dogs. Here are some easy tips: Don’t do this!
#purring #solution #workplace
