It is a very powerful thing this: the idea of asking why or making an attempt to get context.
I have always been a huge believer in the power of context. The validity of an event can, normally and for normal events, be debated by the people that are involved before the event occurs. However, something done by a person(s), at a particular time, under specific circumstances and limitations and with internal or external motivation(s) can hardly ever be debated when any of those factors change.
In our lives as parents, with an almost-crawler running our lives for now, it is very hard to, for an example, go back in time and debate if the crib that was purchased was the best in the market. At the time that the decision was made that may definitely be the case. Is it now though? Time has come to pass. More work and research in the field of infants has resulted in better products. An argument comparing the latest-best to the best-at-the-time can be very unfair to the decision maker.
There are diapers, for example, that might have the capacity to let us know, electronically, when it is time for a change. Even with an unfair comparison inclining towards a futuristic product, would I support it? My geeky head finds it very interesting. My father-head, which wants to connect to our child and teach him the idea of respecting human follies and behavior, not so much. Yes, we can achieve near perfection with the diaper changing time, but would that take something away from a bond that is being created? I think so. What is next? a robotic milk feeder perhaps?
The same unfairness, based on a lack of context, can be prevalent in our work lives as well. An employee, wonderful in performance, is let go. The perception of the truth can lead to arguments against the executive machinery starting in a flash. A lot of time, these arguments are invalid. Why? What is missing? Context, our old friendly foe, of course.
I have always been a huge believer in the power of context. The validity of an event can, normally and for normal events, be debated by the people that are involved before the event occurs. However, something done by a person(s), at a particular time, under specific circumstances and limitations and with internal or external motivation(s) can hardly ever be debated when any of those factors change.
In our lives as parents, with an almost-crawler running our lives for now, it is very hard to, for an example, go back in time and debate if the crib that was purchased was the best in the market. At the time that the decision was made that may definitely be the case. Is it now though? Time has come to pass. More work and research in the field of infants has resulted in better products. An argument comparing the latest-best to the best-at-the-time can be very unfair to the decision maker.
There are diapers, for example, that might have the capacity to let us know, electronically, when it is time for a change. Even with an unfair comparison inclining towards a futuristic product, would I support it? My geeky head finds it very interesting. My father-head, which wants to connect to our child and teach him the idea of respecting human follies and behavior, not so much. Yes, we can achieve near perfection with the diaper changing time, but would that take something away from a bond that is being created? I think so. What is next? a robotic milk feeder perhaps?
The same unfairness, based on a lack of context, can be prevalent in our work lives as well. An employee, wonderful in performance, is let go. The perception of the truth can lead to arguments against the executive machinery starting in a flash. A lot of time, these arguments are invalid. Why? What is missing? Context, our old friendly foe, of course.
- What if the organization has decided to change course and the person's technical expertise is no longer relevant?
- Also, what if the person was given the opportunity to cross train and they declined?
- What if the same executive that needs to work very hard, now, to control a sense of distrust and panic, gave glowing recommendations to the outgoing employee because of which they got a job in the next week?
There will be a time, in the not so distant future, when our son is going to inundate us with that very question. At that time, in the future, may be I will repent ever writing this post. In the mean time, all I can hope is for our son to have the capacity to not just question our judgments and justifications, but of anyone that tells him to do something because of the simple reason that "that is how it has always been done".
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