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Subject:Dumb as a fox; was BS-ing your way... From:John Posada <JPosada -at- book -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 27 Mar 2003 09:50:45 -0500
Guys...I cannot think of any part of my position or job function where
appearing dumb is an asset. Don't confuse being dumb with not knowing
something yet.
In fact, getting the information we need is not through the ability of
appearing dumb...it is through the ability to be REALLY smart, to figure out
that what we need is D if A equals B, and B doesn't equal C, and A plus B
equals C, then what is D when D minus B, plus C, is E (you get the idea).
We don't get respect and results by asking dumb questions...we get it by
asking really smart questions that shows the person we're working with that
we know what we are doing, we just don't know what HE is doing...yet.
Night before last, I was at the office at 8pm and there was a developer
running load tests on a new release and bored out of his mind, so I
approached him with the question "Jon, what is a Method Call and what do I
need to know to make my documentation more useful for what you-guys do?" We
talked for about 30 minutes and he was very helpful....and now, my
documentation has more information, my computer has Visual Basic 6 Studio,
and he's asking ME some questions.
Did I achieve my goal by appearing dumb?
John Posada
Senior Technical Writer
Barnes&Noble.com
jposada -at- book -dot- com
NY: 212-414-6656
Dayton: 732-438-3372
"Alright, nobody move! I've got a dragon here, and I'm not afraid to use it"
---------- Donkey
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