During our never-ending sisters' conversation in the Marco Polo app, one of my sisters asked the rest how we learned to tie our shoes. Was it something we just learned or something we were taught?
I sat with this question for a bit.
Most of us who are able to tie our shoes without thinking about it. It is something we do regularly, a habit that is decades old. We may even take it for granted that we can lace up our kicks and go about our business. Many of us may have multiple pairs of sneakers or boots with laces. We tie them and go on.
The answer for my sisters and I is that we were taught how to tie our shoes.
I remember my grandfather teaching me how to tie my sneakers. He was a meticulously dressed man. Always in a button-down shirt and slacks, I recall I only saw him wear a pair of jeans once. Lacing my sneakers was important, for looking pulled together and not tripping while running around on the street with my friends.
I remember helping my sisters learn to tie their shoes. There is a significant age difference between me and them and I often helped with things like this. It takes communication, teaching, and practice to develop a habit so automatic we do not remember how we learned.
If you give a five-year-old a pair of sneakers and ask them to lace them up without first communicating and teaching them, it is unlikely they will figure it out on their own.
My mind drifted from my sister’s question about learning how to tie a pair of sneakers to other areas. Sometimes we may become frustrated because someone does not do something how we expected or seems to take too long to catch on. We also reward people who seem to get it and consider the higher performers.
How often do we take for granted the value of clear communication?
Do we sometimes expect people to just know how to do something?
Do we develop a skill so well that it becomes automatic, and we become frustrated when a team member has not learned it?
Did we communicate clearly?
Did we provide training?
Did we ensure learning transfer before holding them accountable?
Did we create an environment in which it is safe to learn?
I am thinking about this:
- When I'm in a hurry and buy cut corners in communication, am I making things harder for others and me?
- Do I make assumptions about shared understanding instead of investing in creating shared understanding?
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