So, the lady at the copier knows exactly what type of copy she needs but hasn't quite the English to explain it, and two library staff twice her tiny height who are assuming that because of her age and her accent she does not know what the new copier can do. My colleague is so used to training that she treats everyone as a trainee (she used the phrase "Good girl" to a sixteen year-old who agreed that, yes, she did know her PIN number), And I'm the new staff member who finally sees that, although I don't know the new machine, if we take it slowly and listen the lady will show us what she wants.
The lady got her copy, eventually. She politely thanked me when I was very little help. There's a few things you could draw from this encounter, but for now it's enough to say that going through the checklist of our assumptions might be just as important as going through the instruction in the user manual.
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1 comment:
Your final paragraph is a refreshing perspective. I hope that you can spread it throughout the region. I know I, too, am guilty of making similar assumptions when training! Fiona
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