03-14-2013, 12:54 PM
An interesting thing happened at the office today.
There is an item of contention between my department and another. I created the contention, because the foundation of the item is bullexcrement. As I was speaking to one director about it, another walked up to discuss it as well. I'm a single contributor, but this office is fairly egalitarian so I had no worries of rank issues during the discussion.
The second director, who we will call Kim, took an opposing position to mine. I made it clear that I felt that the issue is absurd, and that no other company takes this position with their customers. While there are many aspects to the whole issue, I was addressing only a single point. The director said that he felt my position was myopic and the reason "they can't trust [my] team with more discretion." He repeated several times that he disagrees, to which I responded, "I'm OK with that. We can disagree."
I'm pretty sure I saw arcflashes from his synapses shorting out.
The best part, though, is when I was addressing the first director, and he started talking over me. I kept talking, hoping he would back off, but he kept going. So I stopped, looked at him, and said, "Kim, I really hate being interrupted. Please stop." in a calm voice.
His expression is what I would expect had I sucker-punched him. He let me finish my argument, then made his, which was now completely out of context. He couldn't get past my admonition to stop interrupting, and had to continue what he was saying.
It was awesome, because I was so emotionally detached from the argument. I was able to establish my position and stick to it, while ignoring what I considered to be red herrings and distractions.
There is an item of contention between my department and another. I created the contention, because the foundation of the item is bullexcrement. As I was speaking to one director about it, another walked up to discuss it as well. I'm a single contributor, but this office is fairly egalitarian so I had no worries of rank issues during the discussion.
The second director, who we will call Kim, took an opposing position to mine. I made it clear that I felt that the issue is absurd, and that no other company takes this position with their customers. While there are many aspects to the whole issue, I was addressing only a single point. The director said that he felt my position was myopic and the reason "they can't trust [my] team with more discretion." He repeated several times that he disagrees, to which I responded, "I'm OK with that. We can disagree."
I'm pretty sure I saw arcflashes from his synapses shorting out.
The best part, though, is when I was addressing the first director, and he started talking over me. I kept talking, hoping he would back off, but he kept going. So I stopped, looked at him, and said, "Kim, I really hate being interrupted. Please stop." in a calm voice.
His expression is what I would expect had I sucker-punched him. He let me finish my argument, then made his, which was now completely out of context. He couldn't get past my admonition to stop interrupting, and had to continue what he was saying.
It was awesome, because I was so emotionally detached from the argument. I was able to establish my position and stick to it, while ignoring what I considered to be red herrings and distractions.
Fear is a liar.
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. -- Ernest Hemingway
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. -- Ernest Hemingway
