Pepper Spray
I'm sitting here at the sales table at an NSA seminar. Training has begun! Still not sure how I feel about starting the NSAs. I have a nervous pit of acid in my stomach. It might have something to do with yesterday's seminar which was not lovely. The crowd left my fellow seminar presenter in tears. And I think the pit in my stomach is there because I feel a little responsible. I let the group have too much freedom in asking questions and that led to anarchy when she went up there. And really, it IS my job to control the question/answer process. More than you might think. Plus I was a little behind. So I feel like I sabotaged her. Can I blame it on being sick?
I am sick. I've had that hoarse voice all week - which has led to three separate people at two different seminars coming up to me and saying I reminded them of Bette Midler (which confuses me, because I don't think of Bette as having a scratchy or whiskey or husky voice). Hey, I used to hear that I reminded people of "that woman from Misery - you know, Kathy Bates." I'll take the Divine Miss M over the also talented Kathy Bates any day. I like them both - but being Bette-ish is much nicer than being Annie-ish. Mr. Man. Dirty bird.
Someone is quitting at the NNA today. And in a month she is flying off to Paris. And traveling abroad for the next 18 months. Crazy. But nice for her. I'm going to miss her - she is nice, smart and she went to Berkeley - so we have something to talk about over drinks. Well, even without Berkeley, there is always something for co-workers to talk about over drinks - right? Your co-workers.... Your supervisors... Working conditions... The attendees... Maragaritas make all things fodder for gossip.
Monday morning I fly to New Mexico. I am really looking forward to it - I hope the weather is nice. Maybe I should check it out before I pack. Mountains and desert. Hmmm, I may need a very large suitcase.
posted by Andrea @ 1:43 PM
6 Comments:
So WHAT kind of questions can attendees ask that would leave a speaker in tears? I mean, it should be pretty cut and dried, UNLESS, the speaker did not have the answers?
Jen, I think I can come up with some:
"How did you ever qualify to get this job?"
"Do you have any idea what you are talking about?"
"Shouldn't you be required to know what you are teaching us?"
"If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?"
"What do you get when you cross an elephant with a rhinoceros?"
The speaker - also named Jen - is new. And in my opinion, the NNA did her wrong by allowing her to race through the end of her training. It has become the thing to do - to jump from presenting parts one through three to presenting parts one through 5, the complete seminar - skipping a very important one through four step. The NNA is applauding the prople who do this and I think it's a big mistake. This seminar was Jen's first seminar where she had to FOLLOW another presenter. And when she couldn't answer a question it was like blood in the water. The sharks attacked.
I feel bad because a supervisor should NEVER have allowed her to compress her schedule - it's not just about getting up there and reading from a script. But, I still did all of the things I said - I allowed the room too much freedom. I did run long (it's hard to get enough oxygen to speak quickly). And I had to go back up and take over the seminar when Jen finally broke down in tears at the break. I'm sure she is resentful toward me.
So, Jen (if that's her REAL name) is sitting there thinking, "It was all Andrea's fault because she let them ask her too many questions."?
I find that hard to believe. In fact, if that was the case, don't you think she would have been more angry than tearful. Wait... I just remembered - women cry for EVERY EMOTION.
I doubt that Jen is actively blaming me. More likely, OTHER instructors are blaming me to help her cope.
this is Jen. Ia m not telling you which Jen. I don't blame you in the least!
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