| I can't believe that Sawyer's graduated from high school and will be off to college in a few months. It's so bittersweet. Especially as it seems like only yesterday you were bringing me dinner in the hospital the day she was born – it was wedding soup from my favorite Italian restaurant. |
| Well, since that has now become one of her favorite restaurants, that is where we should go to celebrate the start of her exciting new journey. |
| Exciting is an understatement. As soon as she finished her Zoom session with the orientation team at Belmont University, she came downstairs and talked a mile a minute about all the incredible course offerings, and before I knew it, she opened her laptop and was going through everything with me. |
| When she showed it to me, I was impressed by the range of courses available, and it made me want to go back to college. But, I was most impressed by her enthusiasm and commitment to opening herself up to opportunities that she might not have previously considered. |
| I know! For years, starting when we taught at KIPP Houston High School, you've told students that college was a step-along-the-way, not a destination. And the perfect opportunity to try new things. |
| I also said, "Homework never ends; it just is called 'research' when you get older." |
| Yes, although they didn't like hearing that. Most people think that once you walk across the stage to get your diploma, you're done. But I found out the hard way that learning never ends. And it wasn't until I was 40+ years old! |
| And, unlike when you were in school and wanted to learn, you initially resisted learning anything new. You created mental roadblocks and were your own worst enemy. |
| Fine. I didn't think I could "do" personal finance until you made me try. And although I may not like doing it, it was truly a life lesson. And not just for me, but for Natasha and Sawyer, as I was able to share what I learned with them. |
| You may not have proactively wanted to become a lifelong learner, but sometimes you have no choice. For example, when you resigned yourself to get over your resistance to technology. And, FYI, "learning to adapt" is a great skill to have. |
| I'm not sure I'd call it a skill so much as the fear of you giving me grief for not "getting over it". Like a few weeks ago, when I was on my iPad and "fell off" of our Zoom business meeting. I just wanted to let you continue and update me later rather than figure out how to rejoin the meeting on my computer, but I knew that wasn't an option. |
| You figured it out, and quicker than I expected. Zoom meetings are an excellent example of how the pandemic has forced people to learn new things. Research shows that people who are adaptable, who are willing to learn new things, who embrace change are ultimately the most successful. |
| I don't know if you're talking personally, or in the workplace, or both, but I've never thought of "being adaptable" as a skill. But it makes sense since none of us knows what the future will look like. After all, if someone had told me when Natasha was born that one day, I'd be on a video "phone call" with her on another continent using a computer I could hold in my hand, I'd have thought they were crazy – not only about the technology but about my ability to use the technology. |
| Exactly. School can only teach you what is known at the time. After that, you are on your own. Although I find it ironic that educators stress the need to develop lifelong learners, yet the education "system" still does things the way they have always been done. Sounds like, "Do as I say – not what I do." Regardless, I believe a critical part of learning comes from trying new things, taking chances, and even failing, as long as you learn from your mistakes. |
| As a mom, letting your children "fail" goes against your instincts to protect them, although conceptually, I understand that sometimes that's the only way to learn. Plus, as much as I'd like to tell them what to do, if I do, they'll never learn to make their own decisions. I know I'll miss Sawyer a lot when she goes off to college, just as I did when Natasha moved abroad. But I also know that she'll be learning more than what's taught in the classroom as she'll be learning how to live away from home. |
| Yes, there are many things to be learned from living life … they are called "life lessons" for a reason. But, like learning anything else new, you need to be open to the concept. |
| Easier said than done! Unlike you, who approaches everything with a positive mindset and a love of learning, us"mere mortals" find that learning new things isn't always easy and can be uncomfortable. |
| That is where you have to find the right motivation – whether it is to improve aspects of your personal life, advance your career, or just make life more interesting without necessarily having a specific objective. |
| That's how Sawyer's approaching her academic "life" at college – open to learning new things and going in new directions. Unfortunately, that's something that often gets lost or put to the side once we leave school. Unless we're forced into it. |
| Whether proactive or reactive, it does not change the fact that you are never too young or too old to be a lifelong learner. |
Want to read other columns? Here's a list.
| Why does everything have to be such a struggle? Even a simple phone call to a doctor’s office. I don’t know whether it’s because I’m tired or getting older, but I just don’t have the time or the patience for this. |
| Me, neither. |
| Do you mean this conversation? Or are you agreeing with me? Which, although nice, doesn’t make sense, as you don’t even know what happened. |
red head
assets.rebelmouse.io
Black
assets.rebelmouse.io
| I listened to what you said and suspect something that should have been simple became a production. I do not need the specifics to understand the concept. |
| Well, at least you’re listening. Which is part of the problem. |
| OK, now I need more information. |
| I used to think that the phone systems where you call a company and get automated prompts were the worst thing imaginable, as I wanted to speak to a human. Now I’m not so sure. |
| Yes, they can be very time-consuming and frustrating, but there are ways to bypass the system. |
| Thanks, but the problem started once I reached a real person. I don’t think people listen anymore. |
| I agree with that, too. Or, maybe you do not get to the point quickly enough. |
| Fine. A few months ago, I got a bill for my annual physical, and it included an item I shouldn’t have been billed for. But it was during the holiday season, so I got busy with other things. About a month later, I called the office, and after spending quite a bit of time going over everything, I thought it was resolved. |
| Let me guess; it was not. |
| Not even close. I received a letter from a credit collection agency! Which led to having to start all over again with a different person in the doctor’s office. Hopefully, it has been resolved this time, and I’ll get a corrected invoice, not a second letter from the collection agency. |
| You do realize you could have paid the uncontested amount at the start. And, FYI, the collection process is probably another automated system the doctor’s office uses. |
| I was looking for sympathy, not advice, but I should’ve known better. Anyway, the whole thing is ironic. I know that I’m always saying that with everything being automated these days, I want and miss dealing with people. And then it was people that created this problem. |
| Technically, technology and automation caused the problem. But, whoever handles “customer service” should have been able to fix it. This means businesses need employees who are knowledgeable, good communicators, and problem solvers. |
| At the risk of being old-fashioned, is it too much to want them to ask, “Can I help you?” and mean it? |
| “Can” means having the ability. And, is a separate question from “May I help you?” which reflects the desire the help. Both are required. |
| I’ll ignore the English lesson, but that’s what Home Depot does! They hire people who are knowledgeable about the products, and they’re always happy to help. In fact, they’ve often walked me clear across the store to help me find something. I remember trying to buy a new toilet, which somehow became complicated, but the store manager went above and beyond to make everything right. Bottom line, and this may sound crazy, but they take pride in helping customers. |
| That started at the top. It was how the company was built. They wanted to be a big business that offered the expertise and service of a small hardware store. When the chain first started, they stacked empty boxes on high shelves to give the illusion of being bigger than they were, but provided training for their employees to make sure they could help customers with most home repairs or improvements. |
| Impressive, but it must be expensive to train everyone. |
| It is an investment. And, reflects priorities. But, not all jobs require that level of training. It is about mindset and perspective. Each employee that interacts with a customer has the power to make the experience a good one or a bad one. Customer service should be more than a stand-alone department. |
| I remember when we were “teaching” at KIPP Houston High School, and you explained to the seniors that taking pride in how you do your job, regardless of what it is, doesn’t “cost” anything and doesn’t require special training. And is a great way to stand out in today’s workforce. |
| When I was in corporate, I told my employees the same thing. |
| Do you remember when you interrupted the manager’s meeting at the table next to ours at Pappadeaux’s Seafood Kitchen to say that same thing? I bet that was the last thing they expected to hear from a customer. |
| I could not help myself. Although it had been years – no, make that decades – since I worked at the Strawberry Patch, one of the Pappas’ first restaurants, I still remember the manager, Steve Sims, explaining that the hostess is the first employee the customer would meet and that they set the tone for either a great start or a bad experience. Each person, no matter what their job, is an important member of the team. It has stuck with me all these years. |
| What a powerful but simple lesson. However, I have a hard time picturing you working in a restaurant. |
| You would have an even tougher time if you saw the uniform I had to wear. Luckily, there are no pictures. |
| Are you sure? Maybe I should call their customer service. |
| Maybe you should not … |
Want to read other columns? Here's a list.