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On the Fly Article Archives
Blindsided by Insight Years ago I managed a floating aquarium attraction - the Oregon Undersea Gardens. The glass viewing chamber was beneath the level of the bay, and several hundred thousand gallons of water containing hundreds of species of local sea life surrounded the visitors. One day, I became aware of two guests that had been hitch hiking across the United States. They started on the East coast, and ended up here in Newport. This happy couple, however, was blind. My first reaction was that most of our marine life was behind glass - how could they see the fish? How would they get their money's worth? So, I introduced myself and started to describe some of the species we had in the tank. We also had a "touch and feel" pond and I guided them to it. They were able to feel some sea stars, anemones and urchins. During our visit, they told me about their adventures crossing the continent. They told me that as they entered a town, they could identify the different fast food restaurants - by smell. They could tell the difference between McDonalds, Burgerville, Arctic Circle and Burger King. Then my ignorance came rushing out ahead of my words. "Wow," I exclaimed, "since you're blind, you must really have a sharp sense of smell!" "No," they chided me, "everyone's sense of smell is the same. But not everyone has developed it. Not everyone is equally aware." Those words have resonated with me since that day over twenty years ago. We all have senses, abilities and skills. But our level of development can vary greatly, depending on our priorities. A keen sense of smell was important to my visitors. I decided that the skills I wanted to sharpen as a manager were communication, motivation, persuasion and conflict resolution. These were also the skills I wanted to develop in my employees. I've been learning and training ever since. Chris Waugh owns reNvision, Inc., and works with business professionals who want to learn to succeed on the fly. The author of several books, including 'Flying by the Seat of Your Pants,' she blends years of business management experience with her hang glider's perspective on change. Visit www.reNvision.com to find out more. Rights to reprint and reproduce the above article are granted as long as the reprint includes the full last paragraph and tagline complete with website information. We would appreciate an electronic copy or tear sheet.
© 2008 by reNvision, Inc. 
reNvision, Inc.Toll-Free Number: (877) 340-8483 Direct Telephone Number: (541) 270-0399 Email: chriswaugh@reNvision.com Mailing Address: 2226 North Coast Hwy #3 Newport, OR 97365, USA
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