The only thing more interesting than a story about another person is a story about our own self.
Why is this so?
Because, naturally, most of us are more interested in reading about ourselves than reading a condensed history of the ten most famous people who ever lived.
This is the natural way of human behaviour and there doesn’t seem to be any indication that this is suddenly about to change.
DFQ #07:
In 100 words or less, post a story about yourself.Focus on your Top Strength from DFQ#6 and think of an amusing story that illustrates, or derives from, your top strength.
As you think about this story, recall some details about the setting, the people involved, the provocation and the ‘punch line’ or the outcome.
Don’t feel the need to interpret the story or comment too much on it–just tell it!
We are your devoted audience. Make it a good one 🙂
(NOTE: I realise this is a bit like karaoke and asks you to step-up. But if this DFQ is not for you, no problem, just skip it. All SOT training (even leadership training) is opt-in/opt-out).
I am not and never have been comfortable with talking or telling stories about myself which is why I struggle with things like job interviews even though I know I am more than capable of doing the job. Therefore I really don’t have a story about myself that I would be comfortable sharing.
Strange things happen to your brain when you are pregnant and you do some dumb things. Pregnant with my first, making a cup of coffee, thought the kettle smelt strange. Put nose to spout and inhaled, super heated steam into nasal pasages, very painful. Sometimes curiosity sucks.
Love of learning
The obvious one that springs to mind is first learning how to drive. I remember quite clearly how nervous I was. It seemed that it was all too hard when I first got behind the wheel — remember to check your mirrors, keep an eye on your speed, watch what the other drivers are doing, don’t get too close to the car in front — how did other drivers do this? But through daily practise I got my licence the first time. However, I had a serious car crash in my first year. Had daily practice reduced my chances of an accident? It had probably reduced my chances of one in a car on my own, but not when the car was full of distracting influences. Still you have to get back behind the wheel, learn from your mistake and keep going and going and going.
Creativity.
I have always prided myself on my creativity and try and stay ahead of the game. I am forever telling everyone about my latest idea that is going to make me a millionaire – only to hear that it already exists. Really? memory sticks on car stereos already?, Liquor shop home delivery already exists? are you sure?
Creativity is more lucrative if you create it first.
Love of Learning
I have never said no to new experiences or learning something new.
I got my self into a lot of funny situation attempting these new ventures however continue to try.
A couple that comes to mind was my first attempt at down hill skiing, I just strapped the skies on and started down the hill (a little hill at first) at the bottom was a group of mates watching and laughing as I came down out of control, at that point it flashed before my eyes that I have to stop. In my mind that was easy, I’ve seen that, you just jump up and put your skies sideward’s, I did and wiped out my mates at shin level.
During the rest of the day it was skies off, on the lift up the hill, skies on, down the hill with many falls. Again watching other and getting more confident the time come to leave the skies on going on the lift. Unfortunately I did not foresee the getting off the chair lift and skiing to the side to be too hard. We approached the exit, safety bar up, and ski tips up and now standup, at that point I followed instruction and skied straight into the lift shed. The lift attendant had to stop the lift to get me out.
The next time I went skiing I took lessons.
1. Creativity, ingenuity, and originality
3. Humor and playfulness
My wife used to be a vet (now a stockbroker). One day there was a vet student function at the trots sponsored by a drug company. The drug rep got up after dinner and offered a ride in the start cart to the person who could answer the following question: “What is the ratio of parasites in the horse to parasites in the paddock” (something like that anyway). Several vets put up their hands and the rep worked through each, but nobody managed to get the right answer. Of course, as the only non-vet in the room, I had absolutely no idea, but it slowly dawned on me that the answer was either going to be 99:1, or 1:99. Given this guy was there trying to flog his company’s anti-parasite drug on an ongoing basis it seemed logical that the more parasites there were in the paddock the better for his sales – hence the choice of question. I put up my hand, he picked me and (knowing I was just an engineer) the whole crowd went very quiet. I gave my answer…more silence…followed by hoots of laughter when the rep said I was correct.
My wife tells me the ride in the start cart was really exciting…
My curiosity drives bus tour guides nuts. Picture a guided bus tour of the wildflower regions of Western Australia in a good wildflower season. If there is an optional stop to view wild flowers or scenery, I’m interested; I’m the first out of the bus and usually the only one out of the bus. My curiosity probably also drives the other tourists nuts. I’m amazed others are not interested in taking a closer look at something new. Think I became the tour joke in the end, but I enjoyed myself.
Growing up in Europe, “Santa” brought me my first ever set of downhill skis when I was about 9 or 10 years old.
It had just started to snow and, never having skied before, I was eager to give it a good go. Out the door, boots on, skis on, bum down.
Up again, bum down. Up again, you get the idea. Some time later I managed to stay upright long enough to start circling the house. And circling, and circling. When it got dark I turned on the lights. And kept going. I slept very well that night ;-)!
A couple of days later we actually went to a skiing area, and I managed to come down the hill without crashing.
I crashed many times since then but persistence made me a good enough downhill skier to participate in races.
(141 words!)
In a previous job, we had some plants in the ground. They had been measured once, and once only for a number of characteristics. The boss came round to our cubicles to ask us to extrapolate a few years of growth from the figures we had. What we came up with was to provide growth figures with 100% error bars, but what came to mind was the punchline of one of the many Dilbert cartoons I had cut out from the paper attached to the cubicle wall… “Just tell me which lie to use!!!” The growing collection of Dilberts provided much reinforcing humour to our workplace. We were not alone.
Several weeks ago now I was told that I would need to undertake leadership training. The training would be conducted in the city (I venture into the city about once a year on average), I would need to get there during peak hour and it would be held on a day that I don’t normally work meaning the usual reorganisation of child care etc (I work part-time). While others raved about what a great opportunity this would be I admit to being more than a little skeptical. I am still not exactly sure what I am learning but here I am prepared to give it a proper go and whilst others may have dropped away, I’ve made it to DFQ#07. Yippee ‘Open mindedness and persistence’ that’s me.