The Unintended Consequences of Assumed Communication- a Story
Deb Dredden
Executive Coach, Mindset Influencer, Genius Unlocker, Confidence Builder, Life Blueprint Guide
Once upon a time in the bustling office of Acme Inc., a place where coffee flowed more abundantly than water and the copier was considered a sacred relic, there lived a team known affectionately as "The Squad."
The Squad was a motley crew of professionals from various departments, united under the noble quest of launching the company's newest, top-secret product: the "Whatchamacallit."
The head of The Squad, a charismatic leader named Steve, was known for his innovative ideas but not for his clarity in communication.
One fateful morning, Steve called an emergency meeting. He strode into the conference room with the confidence of a man who had consumed one too many espressos and announced, "Team, it's time to shift paradigms and synergize our efforts to enhance the Whatchamacallit's feature set. Let's circle back, touch base, and think outside the box. We need to hit the ground running!"
The team exchanged puzzled glances.
Jenny, the engineer, interpreted "shift paradigms" as a directive to redesign the Whatchamacallit's core mechanism.
Mark, the marketer, thought "enhance the feature set" meant adding more features, so he started creating a campaign for a product that could now, apparently, do everything but make coffee.
Meanwhile, Lucy, the project manager, decided "hit the ground running" meant accelerating the timeline, so she moved the launch date up by a month.
As the weeks passed, chaos ensued.
Jenny's redesigned Whatchamacallit resembled something out of a sci-fi movie, complete with unnecessary gears and whistles.
Mark's marketing campaign promised features that didn't exist, like time travel and invisibility.
And Lucy? She had the entire team working overtime to meet the new, impossible deadline.
What could possibly go wrong??
On the eve of the launch, The Squad presented the final product to Steve.
He stared in disbelief at the Frankenstein-esque creation before him. "What in the world is this?" he exclaimed.
Jenny beamed with pride. "It's the new and improved Whatchamacallit! Now with 70% more paradigms!"
"And don't forget the time travel feature," Mark added, waving the colorful brochure he had created.
Lucy chimed in, "And we're ready to launch tomorrow, just like you wanted!"
Steve's head spun as he realized the catastrophic misunderstanding.
The launch was a spectacular failure, making history not for innovation, but for how spectacularly one could miss the mark.
The Whatchamacallit became a cautionary tale of miscommunication, known far and wide—even making it into the annual business school curriculum as a case study.
In the aftermath, Acme Inc. invested in a company-wide communication workshop.
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The Squad learned the importance of clear, jargon-free communication.
Steve, now humbled and a bit wiser, adopted a new mantra: "Speak plainly, listen carefully, and never, ever assume everyone knows what a 'paradigm' is."
And so, The Squad learned that in the world of business, clarity is king, jargon is the jester, and a well-communicated plan is the true path to success. From that day on, they worked not just harder, but smarter and clearer.
The Whatchamacallit II, devoid of time travel but rich in practicality, became a bestseller, proving once and for all that when it comes to communication, simplicity reigns supreme.
While this is clearly a fictional story of well-intentioned communication gone off the rails, ineffective and imprecise communication is the bane of many leaders and organizations.
Perhaps this is an opportunity for you, or someone you know, your team, or even your organization as a whole. If so, you'll want to check this newsletter very soon as I have a remedy that may be of interest to you, especially if you have any intention of being a leader of influence... ...and that applies both personally and professionally.
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw, Nobel Prize-winning playwright
Or, if your need is urgent, and you're ready to explore solutions that create the potential for immediate change, you can reach me directly below.
All my best,
Deb
Deb Dredden
Founder, Deb Dredden Transformational Coaching
Founding Member / Faculty, Conscious Coaching Academy
949.939.2577 / deb@debdredden.com
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Be your own best teacher
9moit's time to shift paradigms and synergize our efforts to enhance the Whatchamacallit's feature set. Let's circle back, touch base, and think outside the box. We need to hit the ground running!" With a few adjustments, it sounds like every pre-semester pep talk I got from every single Superintendent/Principle. Our squad, having been through this process twice a year for ages (I was new to the squad so they explained it to me) had the mantra--"We're lost but we're making good time!" Most of the more helpful calls to action and strategy came from the coffee hour that came AFTER the pronouncement and among the teachers instead of the administration. Because the parameters were so vague, the teachers could enact a plan and the administration could take credit. Everyone was happy.