One day, I thought about the Sunday school song, Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man. It got me thinking, what if Zacchaeus was a wee little cat? Well, you get this cartoon, of course!
Tag: cats
Some health issues are self-inflicted. Such is the case with this canine remedy cartoon. This poor dog needs to stop chasing cats!
There are some dogs that are adept at chasing cats. Then there are others that really should find another hobby! We had a dog that wasn’t cut out for cat-chasing since she was not bigger than most of her targets. I have learned to beware of dogs and fools!
This article from Inc. Magazine had me thinking about compliments.
We all like to think we’re doing a good job, so why do we downplay them? Like this previous post I wrote suggests, we like to think giving compliments is a sign of generosity and can even boost our likeability and popularity a bit… that is if they’re seen as genuine. Besides, who wouldn’t want a can of tuna?
Compliments can make us uncomfortable for the following reasons:
- It makes us feel we didn’t earn something when someone claims you have.
- They may not sound genuine. As the Inc. Magazine article states, sincere compliments are key.
- We may have been taught to be humble.
- A complement may challenge us to an even greater standard.
If a compliment sounds genuine, and it resonates with me, I say accept it. Don’t try to belittle it by playing it down. Let’s all be generous with giving sincere compliments and receiving them.
The other day, I saw a video of a cat that was very unhappy she had to share her daytime living space with her quarantined owners. The poor kitty was yowling and hissing mad.
Working from home has been a challenge for everyone. Right now, I’ve been busy trying to make it all work for my artists. It’s been a major transition for us because we relied so heavily on paper folders until all of this happened. Hey! Don’t judge me! When you are a printer, you like to continue using paper as much as possible.
For those of us working remotely, the pets must be even more overwhelmed at this point. Just like their owners, routines have been twisted, turned inside out and bounced around like a toy mouse. One article suggests if we’re stressed at home, pets will pick up on that. On the other hand, if you’re soothed by your presence, perhaps they are too.
Maybe it’s a great time for dogs as opposed to cats. A friend told me his dog is quite happy to have the extra walks and attention. I’ve heard no reports on cats. Perhaps if we can give them a little time to be lazy, they’ll be more tolerant of us as well.
The more we automate information-handling, the more we will have to create opportunities for effective communication.
Pete Drucker in The Effective Executive
Communication doesn’t get more effective with today’s technology. It may get faster, but something gets lost in the process.
The other day, I discovered an email sent in my department was misunderstood. The message was correct, but the context and way it was said came off blunt, rude and made a customer feel like we were bossing him around.
Of course, that wasn’t the intention. But an email doesn’t show body language. The tone of voice can only be interpreted through the words. A please and thank you go a long way in showing politeness and a friendly tone in an email. It may sound overly polite in a conversation, but just right in an email.
The cat in my cartoon is wise to assess the dog’s tone and body language. Unfortunately, we don’t have those advantages in texts and emails. We have emoji’s and our words. And a smiley face in business correspondence may not be quite the professional feel you are going for!
