Reframe! #21

3 things that made me think differently and why they matter.

1/ Notice

There’s an art to complaining when you receive poor service.

Recently, we went for Sunday lunch as a family. It was a poor experience: slow service, and food that was both overcooked and undercooked.

My son asked for the manager and, quietly and empathetically, explained the issues.

The result? A massive 56% discount on our bill.

It was interesting watching my grown offspring handle a situation like this—especially with such poise. It was entirely different from how I would have done it.

Three things I noticed:

• Calmly and assertively explaining the issues.
• Keeping criticism non-personal and avoiding blame.
• Listening and allowing the manager to offer a solution, rather than suggesting one.

Watching the dynamics at play, these three things enabled - rather than demanded - the discount.

It was still a poor dining experience, but it felt better as a result of seeing my son handle the situation so proficiently.

2/ Do

This week, we’ve been travelling again, mostly to various parts of Wales.

I’ve enjoyed staying with friends and sleeping in various Airbnb homes. Occupying different spaces stimulates my creative thinking. One of the things I find particularly stimulating is the way some people collect and curate artefacts.

They arrange objects in ways I wouldn’t - and that contrast is the stimulus.

In one Airbnb, there was a 1960s Lambretta housed beneath the sitting room floor, under glass.

Let your imagination run wild with the story behind that scooter, and how it ended up where it is.

It made me think about curated collections and how they can change the way you think.

I also remembered how Milton Erickson (known for medical hypnosis and family therapy) used personal collections to create a therapeutic atmosphere, build rapport, and stimulate the unconscious minds of his patients. His home office was a “living” therapeutic space.

We can all do more with artefacts to influence how others think.

3/ Question

What is one thing you need to do now, that you've been putting off?
For example"

• Annual medical MOT.
• Catching up on an overdue conversation.
• Sorting out a financial admin task you’ve been avoiding.

That's it for now.



Clive