Author Topic: Courses at work (Read 4202 times)

oldspice · « **on:** October 21, 2005, 08:01:12 am »

Last night, during a hellish week at work, I had to attend a course all about personal effectiveness. These courses are very confrontational - you have to take part and the person who runs them is very direct.

We all trooped into the room to be greeted by 'Daphne'. We were all tired, having completed a full day's work. The course started at 4pm and was due to end at 8pm. Most of us would rather have been at home ironing.

The room went silent, Daphne looked straight at me and asked:

"Tell me Julie, what is it about your personal effectiveness approach that achieves a result?"

I panicked, I was tired and I thought it was a stupid question. The answer flashed before me and before I could think, it was out of my mouth...

"ME!"

She picked on me for the rest of the night!

goldencup · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2005, 11:28:43 pm »

Good for you! I'm always having to go on pointless courses like that too. I usually get labelled the class clown after about ten minutes and subsequently get all the worst questions. I really should learn by now and keep my mouth firmly shut when a flippant answer comes to mind.

smurfboy · « **Reply #2 on:** October 22, 2005, 03:29:28 pm »

My boss is fluent in management speak. 'Personal credibility', 'managing expectations' and 'joined-up thinking' are some of her favourites. She once told me that I had left the room with 'negative body language'.

loulou · « **Reply #3 on:** October 22, 2005, 03:30:46 pm »

goldencup · « **Reply #4 on:** October 22, 2005, 03:57:52 pm »

Mine has to 'touch base' roughly once every ten minutes.

oldspice · « **Reply #5 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:07:16 pm »

One of the practices and associated phrases that pervails at my place of work is:

"Please attend the course/meeting and cascade to your colleagues"

It absolutely makes me cringe. Other equally cringe-making practices and activities are mentoring, the buddy system, reflective teaching and learning and termly facaulty meetings with the Principal where he pretends to be all fatherly and rambles on about the college family.

loulou · « **Reply #6 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:08:49 pm »

I thought cascade was a waterfall. so does that mean wee on your colleagues?

oldspice · « **Reply #7 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:11:47 pm »

No, you have to cascade the information you gained at the meeting or course. It's so that only one person need attend and everyone else can get on with their work and hear about the course or meeting at the next course or meeting!

Bonkers!

goldencup · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:12:20 pm »

We have to 'roll things out' to ours.

loulou · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:12:58 pm »

that means you have to really concentrate and take notes and miss nothing.

goldencup · « **Reply #10 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:13:41 pm »

But only after a 'mind-storm' or 'thought-shower' of course.....

oldspice · « **Reply #11 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:14:48 pm »

Yes, we are always having things rolled out too. This course is being rolled out next week and that assessment programme rolls out after Christmas and so on.

loulou · « **Reply #12 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:14:49 pm »

It's like the weather report.

goldencup · « **Reply #13 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:16:31 pm »

It's pathetic. I refuse to use these expressions. People use them 24/7! (cliches should of course be avoided like the plague).

smurfboy · « **Reply #14 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:37:11 pm »

Quote from: goldencup

But only after a 'mind-storm' or 'thought-shower' of course.....

My boss is always asking us to have a 'brain-dump'. I ask her to keep that sort of thing private!

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Author Topic: Courses at work (Read 4202 times)