The Twix Bar Gambit
I've learned on my latest gig that it's very important not to let on to others that there's something you don't know how to do -- especially if it's something you've been HIRED to do. If you make the boss find someone else to do the current task, then why should she not find someone else to do ALL the tasks?She says it this way: "act like you know." And I call it the Twix Bar Gambit. After all, you've seen the commercials where the guy doesn't know what to say next, so he shoves a Twix bar in his pie-hole to buy himself a minute.
If you don't know how to do it, then estimate how long it'll take you to figure out how. You are "kinda tied up" until then, you see.
I used to tell people that if they didn't KNOW the answer, they should admit it and commit to GET the answer. (This is what I was always taught to do in job interviews.) I don't say that any more. Now I tell them, just get the answer. Here are some options:
- The pure time delay. "I'm tied up just now, but I'll get back to you in ten minutes." (Or an hour. Or tomorrow.)
- The archive. "Wow, it's been a LONG time since anyone's asked me about THAT. Could you tell me more?"
- The deflection. "Isn't the issue REALLY this?" or "Couldn't you do THIS instead?"
- The volley. "When did this happen to you?" (or, how?)
Well, except in a job interview. Then you're kinda painted into a corner. :-)
Labels: character
posted by Ron @ 10:12 PM
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