There’s a wonderful Stephen Sondheim song, Anyone Can Whistle. It’s the title song from a musical of the same name. The words talk about how the singer can do difficult things—like read Greek, dance the tango, and slay a dragon. However, what is so simple for others is really hard for her: like whistling.The singer has to admit she needs help.
Time to fess up. This is where I have been for the last 10 days. After driving my car for 15 years and finally having to admit it was dying, I bought a new car.Getting into the driver’s seat of a Kia Hybrid Niro has sent me back to “kindergarten”.
Who would imagine that technology would change so much. I no longer need to insert a key. Just push on the brake pedal and hit a button. It is so quiet that on two occasions, I left it running because I didn’t even know it was on!
The manual has QRC codes that when scanned, send me to a video site for an explanation of whatever computer screen I am seeing. Bless Jose Ramirez at Kia in San Juan Capistrano. I went back today for my third “lesson” as to what the different bells, whistles, lights, and adjustments mean. He is the soul of patience as he hefts his rather large body into the passenger seat of my much smaller car. Together we look at the manual and today—a miracle: I discovered that plugging my iPhone into the cars USB drive resulted in a screen that let me play music, see and hear maps, and make phone calls.It’s a miracle!!!
I can see some of my readers shaking their heads and muttering, “that poor woman. She’s been living under a rock.”
However, perhaps some of you might be remembering some other instances where you needed help with something that everyone else found so easy. The hard part is asking for help.
Resiliency—growing through challenge or the opportunity of learning a new car’s mechanisms—might often require swallowing pride and admitting that you are clueless—or at least befuddled by what others seem to find a breeze.
Asking is important. And so is patience.Together we can get through this!
PS: On rare occasions, I actually sing the song in a keynote. Music is often more powerful than straight verbalization's!