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When and how do you use your words? Next Hump Day Hmm Topic!

Say it with me: I can do this one!

Do it Tuesday and add in your link Wednesday or do it Wednesday.

This is a topic anyone can tackle, and I hope everyone does: how and when do you use your words?

I've got some sample scenarios to throw at you, but I'd be glad for you to add your own in to your post, as well.

Here's how the Hump Day Hmm works: I supply a topic. You write a post. On Wednesday, I put up a post with Mr. Linky section and you add in your link. In your post, link to my post or blog so your readers can see the other participants. I encourage everyone to read all the contributions and hopefully comment. It ends up being a great roundtable every week. Everyone is welcome to participate!

Topic for this week: How and When Do You Use Your Words...Social Scenarios

Feel free to pick and choose any one, combination or all of these scenarios, or create your own. The object is to share complicated situations we often find ourselves in, and to discuss when we feel open or restrained from using our words, and why.

Scenario 1: You, two friends, and all of your children are walking out of gymnastics class together. Suddenly, in front of you, and your children, one of your friends starts discussing her son's upcoming birthday party---to which everyone but your son, it seems, has been invited. How do you feel? Do you say something? If so, what?

* What if it was a playdate the next day? How would you feel? Would you say something? If so, what?

Scenario 2: You're having coffee with some of your playgroup mom friends when one tells you she has the funniest story. "Some dad wanted in our playgroup," she laughs, "I told him no boys allowed. He was disappointed, but having a man would be too awkward, and anyway, our group is full, don't you think?" What do you think? What do you say?

Scenario 3: Your mother purchased six months of maid service for you after you had a baby. You know this was a big expense for her, and you know she prepaid for the service. The first two times the maids came, they did a great job, but their service has been slacking off. Last time, you know for sure they didn't vacuum upstairs. You called the service to notify them about this. The maids said they completed the job, and the service said they believed them. What do you do?

Scenario 4: On a coworker's recommendation, you began using a service that provides fresh, healthy snacks and coffee for your office breakroom. Everyone loves this; plus the quality is better than what you had been getting at the large stock store. However, you've noticed that their delivery of products is a little unreliable. Some weeks they deliver on Monday, other weeks on Friday, and there have been a couple of weeks of no deliveries. People are becoming agitated, frustrated to not be able to count on coffee or snacks.

On the day you planned to order and restock office supplies, you noticed the coffee and snacks were finished. So you sent an email to your vendor---the only company that provides this service---that read, "Can you tell me if you definitely plan on delivering products to us this week and if so, when? Today is the day I restock the office, and we are out of products, so I need to know if I ought to pick up some items to hold us over until you can get here. Thank you."

Later that day you got an extremely angry and long email from the coffee and snack vendor. He told you that if you are dissatisfied, you may leave their service. He added that he's never had another client complaint.

How do you feel? What do you do?

That's the wrap-up of scenarios!

Remember...take your time thinking these through. Situations are often more complex than they seem on the surface. Big difficult request with huge please and smile attached: be honest. What would you really do? Extra question: do you note any threads of commonality in these scenarios?

Copyright 2008 Julie Pippert
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Comments

Robert said…
Amazingly, I can write with experience about the first and last scenarios, and I'm tempted to do just that. I probably won't have time to, though, so I'll write about my specific experience with the last one.

Great Hump Day topic.
le35 said…
I'm interested in this topic, but I may or may not get a posting on it. What I may or may not do in situations like these is different from day to day depending on how much control I have over my mouth. I'm always proud of myself when I stand up for myself though.
Suz said…
Gymnastics class and birthday party? We just had this one!
Kat said…
All very good ideas! Thanks for the suggestions. Sometimes my creative juices just won't help me out. :)
thailandchani said…
I don't know that I can do a whole post on this one... but I'm an "exhorter". How I feel about something becomes obvious to anyone who pays attention. I call it the way I see it and that can cut both ways. (I don't mind if people tell me the truth, either.)

In those situations, I would tell the truth. My greatest drawback though is that I might not be diplomatic about it.

I detest social games and exclusion and tend to confront it. Sometimes in a way that leaves no doubt about it.

Some people like me that way and some don't. That's just a natural fallout, I suppose.
Emily said…
I think I know just what I'll write about. Now, if I can only squeeze the hour out of the day required to set pen to paper, so to speak...
Anonymous said…
OooOooOo I love these topics. Can't wait to read the responses.
Gwen said…
Since you said pretty please and all, I will try very hard to accommodate you, but be warned: I do not put my big girl panties on very often at all.
Annie said…
I think I'm going to jump on your Hump Day bandwagon this week - these are very interesting and I can't wait to read everyone else's responses.
Lawyer Mama said…
Ooh, what I know I should do and what I actually DO do are two different things. I will try to write about this before I take off.
Kyla said…
Hmmm, this sounds like Philosophy homework to me. ;) I might get one together, but regardless, I am really interested in the responses!

(Speaking of, I googled the professor and Ryan is a SHE.)

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