It's all in the Details

                I am currently an employee of BYU Dining Services. The other day at work I was assigned to go visit one of our store’s suppliers to pick up some food. As I was walking out of the door, one of the sub-supervisors in my department asked me to check up on the status of two croissants that we were supposed to have received earlier, and bring those croissants back if they were finished. I nodded, figuring that the suppliers would know what she was talking about, and headed over.

                Upon arriving at the supplier’s work area, I inquired into the croissants. I was directed to the head of department, who appeared rather over-worked and stressed. He glared at me and asked me what I was looking for. I replied that I was looking for two croissants for my department, expecting that he would know exactly what I was talking about. He didn’t. He got closer in my face and very loudly informed me that our supplier sells six types of croissants, and asked what type I was requesting. I had heard nothing about the croissants that day, and could only whisper out that I honestly didn’t have any clue. He then announced that I was no use to him, because without knowing which type of croissant I needed, he couldn’t help me. He pivoted and strode off to the far weightier matters of the BYU Dining Service than some minimum-wage student employee.

               As I walked away, I thought about how badly that communication had failed. I had assumed that he would know the details of what was going on with the croissants, and when that assumption backfired, I found myself in the embarrassing and humbling situation of having to admit ignorance. It was an interesting application to what we’ve been discussing in my MCOMM class, and it taught me that it is really important to know one’s audience. Making assumptions is risky, and it is far better to gather all of the details and present them in a way that cannot be misunderstood, rather than only gather and present a fraction of the necessary information and hope that another party can understand. Misunderstanding and frustration is the result when we only present a part of the whole. After this experience, I’m determined to do a better job of really trying to understand all of the facts before I leap to trying to communicate to others.