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For this week’s reading there were a few statements the
authors made that stood out to me. One being that “Certain things in life are
better done in person.” This is such a true statement and reminded me of a
young lady at Starbucks, had once told me that she hated working the drive
thru, people are so rude and forget that there is a real person actually taking
their order. I happened to be her first customer that did not do this. I was
kind of surprised she had reveled something so personal to me. But she had been
fed up with how people could find it ok to act like this because they were
speaking into a small box, why is it that many people tend to think this type
of attitude is acceptable in a non face-to-face meeting. I am sure many of her
“rude” customers would never acted in such a way if they had gotten down
instead. Its funny that people tend to put on a different persona when it comes
to communicating in a non face-to-face meeting? I think the same is true for
asking a favor or for some service you would like to person to do. Even when it
comes to borrowing money this would apply largely because seeing someone in
person than through email or the phone it is more personable and you are more
likely to get the response you wanted in doing so.
Another quote I found to be quite powerful is “ I am the
framework for everything that happens in my life” This quote reminds us that we
can own the risks we take by standing in front of them and not casting blame
elsewhere. We are responsible for what happens to us from the path we choose to
take. We are built from our successes, failures, partnerships, and ideologies.
In the very last chapter “Coda” the book talks a little bit
about why someone may have come across this book and hoped after reading it, you
are able to view things in life a little differently with a new perspective. I
think this quote sums it up what The Art
of Possibility intended to do.
“From a person who meets the challenges life serves up, to
one who designs the stage on which her life plays out; from a single not to a
long line, from partial to full expression, from the I to the WE.”
Amanda, I agree that with the statement “Certain things are better done in person.” I liked the story about the lady working the drive thru at Starbucks. It reminded me of a few times over the years when parents were quick to be rude to teachers and administrators over the phone but when they came in for a conference face-to-face their attitude changed. I have always believed if you need help with something and cannot meet face-to-face then be polite and friendly.
ReplyDeleteThe quote “I am the framework for everything that happens in my life” needs to be hung on the wall for every teacher and student so they can reflect on the quote during the day.
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteYour comments about doing some things in person really resonate with me as well, especially having had the same type of experience with drive thru windows, being both the customer and the associate! There really is something to this face-to-face thing, and no matter how skilled companies get at simulating face-to-face communication, there will never be a true substitute for a good old fashioned face-to-face, personal conversation, hug, handshake, or one of the other myriad gestures that can only take place when one human being is in the presence of another.
Amanda,
ReplyDelete“Certain things in life are better done in person.” That is such a true statement from the book. You talked about how the girl at Starbucks. Everyone had been so rude to her almost as if she didn’t exist. It’s amazing how fast paced our lives have become. We can get ugly with a poor girl at Starbucks because she can’t get our drink order fast enough. Any time that I come across someone like this girl I try to encourage them. A case in point would be the other night we had our Junior/Senior Prom. We had this older man that was cutting and serving different meats to the students. It was if he didn’t exist, almost like he was a robot. After observing this for a little bit, I walked over with my plate and I said, “Has anybody told you what a good job you are doing tonight?” You could see a smile come on his face because somebody recognized the work that he was putting in. I think sometimes as teachers we need to find those moments in our students’ lives, the ones that generally don’t do well in our class or that struggle. We need to find times to put a smile on their face. Again, just as the author said, “Certain things in life are better done in person.” We don’t need to do it through a note or email. We need to verbally say it.
Amanda, there are so many take aways from the Zander's book, The Art of Possibilities. "I am the framework for everything that happens in my life" is one of the most profound messages in the book. I AM! ME! ________(fill your name) is totally responsible for my life. The blank canvas that we're all given allows us to paint our own world. I think that this this blank canvas can be exciting and remind us that there is a world of possibility. When we fear the vast possbilities sometimes we limit ourselves from what the Universe has provided. We are all blessed beyond measure!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the things that spoke to you. As an online teacher, I know that the temptation is to have as little contact as is required and just go through the motions. But I've found that those students and teachers who resort to such low level interaction are probably showing their true self and would be just as impersonal in person. Very sad. It does take a bit more effort to connect but the connections can be so powerful because they are not limited to when we're together. :-)
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