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The room is crowded.  Your boss says, “May I have a word with you.”

Your response? 

You are probably not expecting just a word, and that the “word” is not going to be one that you like.  You will be headed to a private area and the day turns to other words – review, criticism, disappointing, reprimand, and a myriad of other terms.

One of the management approaches in our society attempts to balance productivity and privacy.  An interesting combination.

Productivity requires cooperation.  That means that people work together, talk together, advise each other and generally live public lives.

Privacy requires exclusion.  That means that people work alone, talk to themselves, research for themselves and generally live private lives.

When the boss sets your work standards based on how well you perform, the performance review is often given in private.  Some well intentioned performance reviews include peer feedback.  Often in anonymous format.  Not that helpful.

Just a management thought for this morning’s blog.  How can we more effectively provide words of encouragement towards productivity?  I wonder if a more public encouragement process would be in line, rather than just “a word with you.”

Our community hosts a music festival competition every year.  The platform for young musicians is well worth the effort the organizers put forth. 

Once again, I’ve been attending the sessions.  The audience is made up of mostly parents and relatives, and the music teachers.  Oh yes, there is an adjudicator as well. 

I sit at the back and take in the talent.  And there is very real talent!!

We are blessed as a community.  The teachers are superb, the musicians are definitely well prepared (OK, most of them!), and the adjudication has been on a level that allows students to learn.

To showcase the talent, the final Friday night (this week) is a concert.  A long concert.  With highlights of musical pieces that have been played during the Festival.  Well worth a donation.

If you are around Kindersley this Friday night at 7:00 pm, drop by the St. Paul’s United church and join in on the talent!

A friend of mine was recently in Greece.  Not to see historic sites or ancient wonders.  He was there to see present day treasures washed ashore.

The refugee stream from war-torn and oppressive regimes has become ancient news.  We are almost immune to the tragedy.  We are oversaturated with information.

My friend felt the fear and the thankfulness face-to-face.  The little that he was able to provide in way of humanitarian aid was eagerly accepted.

We come with fear to the refugee crisis.  We wonder if terrorism will enter our shores if we bring refugees here.  We disguise our fear by saying that we cannot possibly accommodate an influx of people, nor can we possibly assimilate that kind of workforce in an already beleaguered economy.

We miss thankfulness that comes with a refugee crisis.  A refugee, by definition is looking for a refuge, a safe place, a harbour from storm.  Their joy in living in safety is contagious.  Their eagerness to build up the foundations of their adopted society is unrelenting.

My friend spoke to both my understanding of our society’s fears and missing of joy.  He took me into the Christian Holy Week that is now upon us.  He related that Jesus joyfully washed the dirty, path torn feet of Judas.

His betrayer. 

A terrorist to the safety of Jesus’ community.

That community has survived and thrived.  And we are worried about our small patch of dirt?

Charity art auction last night for the Kerrobert Courtroom gallery as they raise funds to, amongst other things, repaint the gallery. 

What a great place!

The auctioneer is standing on the Judge’s dias.  He kept the crowd entertained with  his musical rendition of “Hey, 50,50,50,50,50, who’s gonna bid, 50,50,50,50”. 

Beside him was the producer of the auction, giving us background on each art item and some biographical information.

I love to see the behind the scenes people who work the auction.  The scanners were the most interesting.   One of them stood next to me.  His arms were just slightly held out from his body.  One hand twitched, awaiting the first bid.  When the bidder was sighted, the arm jettisoned upwards, pointing to the bidder and his voice was yelling some version of “yes”.  He then continued to scan the crowd to see if another bid would arise.

Prior to the auction, the scanner was just one of the crowd – quietly circulating, not much of a talker.  But when the gavel fell to begin, his body came alive, his eyes were focused and he was all business.

I go to auctions to watch people.  The gathering had the quiet bidders, shyly and slyly nodding and twitching their eyebrows.  Other bidders raised their hands with purpose.  And other bidders were cajoled into considering a bid by an auctioneer who knew the crowd.

Do you want a few hours of free great entertainment (as long as you don’t become one of those bidders!)?  Find an auction, station yourself to be able to see the happenings, stand back and enjoy!