Icebreak
Flashlight Enthusiast
It was here that I first saw Sasha's fuzzy bunny posted in a reply. I should have saved the image.
I can't get Sasha's fuzzy bunny-rabbit with a pancake on its' head out of my mind. What is strange is I don't want to. It helps me deal with many things.
I think it was presented as a way to say, "I don't understand what you are saying but I find it amusing."
In a recent staff meeting a person predictably presented their usual "modular-time project scheduling" approach to the projects that are active and proposed. This is a person that has no previous program scheduling experience, little programming experience and rarely shows up with his cell-phone and ID badge on the same day. It is unlikely that he can tell you what day it is, much less the date. He actually has difficulty functioning his shoestrings and let's not talk about wax, be it on his shoes or his truck.
You have certainly guessed by now that he is higher up the organizational, hierarchical ladder than am I. He and I have had this debate about project time scheduling for the last couple of years. The other staff members are not only used to this debate, but expect it. I would let him win except for the fact that I lead a couple of good teams and refuse to allow him to get us to agree on any of his proposed schedules. That would be a large mistake.
I presented my teams' completed projects, working projects and future projects. No one challenged the presentation because they all know my teams deliver ahead of schedule. This is in part because I encourage my team members to sandbag and they do so out of self-preservation…really talented people, much more so than am I.
Well, no one commented on it accept for Mr. TimeScheduleBoy. He did his usual routine while the 20 member staff watched in lackadaisical sub-interest thinking that I would counter with either hard logic or my displeasure that Schedule Punk didn't have a clue.
Not surprising my team (We expect the unexpected) but surprising the Staff, my response was something like this: "I am again encouraged by your stamina on this subject, Mr. TSB. I'm sure you are aware that my team has experienced some frustration with your views on project time scheduling. I no longer have contention with your point of view. Recently a friend sent me a photograph of a bunny with a pancake on its' head."
Mr. TSB: "A wha..?"
Icebreak: "A photograph of a real, fuzzy bunny-rabbit with a pancake on its' head".
Mr. TSB: " I don't …well…what was that?"
Icebreak: "This photograph of a bunny-rabbit with a pancake on its' head explains my position on your project scheduling proposals better than I have been able to. They don't make any sense but I can't help but to find humor in them."
It took a long 5 seconds but eventually people began to get the point. There was some giggling and snorting, followed by heh-hehs and haw-haws, followed by regular laughter, then belly laughs and topped off with the weird, convulsive sounds that only teary-eyed humans make as they watch their professional demeanors exit a conference room.
That is how the meeting ended. Before lunch the term "bunny with a pancake hat" had circulated. By Friday afternoon "bunny with a pancake hat" had been used and discussed in two more meetings I was not involved in.
I wish I could tell you that "bunny with a pancake hat" was the end of it. Surely dumbass, excuse me, Mr. TSB is too ignorant to let it go. He'll be back. So will I…equipped with the power of BunnyPancakeHat.
For now, the image of a fuzzy bunny with a pancake on its' head has made life and business easier for a few hundred people.
Is there any use for a BunnyWithPancakeHat in your day?
Maybe? Try it. You may like it. Love the bunny. Be the bunny.
I can't get Sasha's fuzzy bunny-rabbit with a pancake on its' head out of my mind. What is strange is I don't want to. It helps me deal with many things.
I think it was presented as a way to say, "I don't understand what you are saying but I find it amusing."
In a recent staff meeting a person predictably presented their usual "modular-time project scheduling" approach to the projects that are active and proposed. This is a person that has no previous program scheduling experience, little programming experience and rarely shows up with his cell-phone and ID badge on the same day. It is unlikely that he can tell you what day it is, much less the date. He actually has difficulty functioning his shoestrings and let's not talk about wax, be it on his shoes or his truck.
You have certainly guessed by now that he is higher up the organizational, hierarchical ladder than am I. He and I have had this debate about project time scheduling for the last couple of years. The other staff members are not only used to this debate, but expect it. I would let him win except for the fact that I lead a couple of good teams and refuse to allow him to get us to agree on any of his proposed schedules. That would be a large mistake.
I presented my teams' completed projects, working projects and future projects. No one challenged the presentation because they all know my teams deliver ahead of schedule. This is in part because I encourage my team members to sandbag and they do so out of self-preservation…really talented people, much more so than am I.
Well, no one commented on it accept for Mr. TimeScheduleBoy. He did his usual routine while the 20 member staff watched in lackadaisical sub-interest thinking that I would counter with either hard logic or my displeasure that Schedule Punk didn't have a clue.
Not surprising my team (We expect the unexpected) but surprising the Staff, my response was something like this: "I am again encouraged by your stamina on this subject, Mr. TSB. I'm sure you are aware that my team has experienced some frustration with your views on project time scheduling. I no longer have contention with your point of view. Recently a friend sent me a photograph of a bunny with a pancake on its' head."
Mr. TSB: "A wha..?"
Icebreak: "A photograph of a real, fuzzy bunny-rabbit with a pancake on its' head".
Mr. TSB: " I don't …well…what was that?"
Icebreak: "This photograph of a bunny-rabbit with a pancake on its' head explains my position on your project scheduling proposals better than I have been able to. They don't make any sense but I can't help but to find humor in them."
It took a long 5 seconds but eventually people began to get the point. There was some giggling and snorting, followed by heh-hehs and haw-haws, followed by regular laughter, then belly laughs and topped off with the weird, convulsive sounds that only teary-eyed humans make as they watch their professional demeanors exit a conference room.
That is how the meeting ended. Before lunch the term "bunny with a pancake hat" had circulated. By Friday afternoon "bunny with a pancake hat" had been used and discussed in two more meetings I was not involved in.
I wish I could tell you that "bunny with a pancake hat" was the end of it. Surely dumbass, excuse me, Mr. TSB is too ignorant to let it go. He'll be back. So will I…equipped with the power of BunnyPancakeHat.
For now, the image of a fuzzy bunny with a pancake on its' head has made life and business easier for a few hundred people.
Is there any use for a BunnyWithPancakeHat in your day?
Maybe? Try it. You may like it. Love the bunny. Be the bunny.
