I met with a couple of marketing guys last night at the huge conference venue we are hiring for the conference we're doing mid next year. To do a walk around and look at the venue, start to plan the fixtures for the bookshop I'll be running there, talk about access and timing issues etc. It was a really good meeting and the two guys were really nice.
But, here's the thing. I kept looking across at one of the guys (and not just because of the salt & pepper hair, blue eyes and slim figure) and he kept furrowing his brow and looking so worried that at one point I thought he was on the verge of tears. So much so that it was kind of odd. It certainly wasn't encouraging. Wow, if he's that concerned we should be really panicking.
It made me think about the times I've had my photo taken, for instance, and I've been pulling an expression that I didn't even think was in my repertoire. Once a senior manager of mine pulled me aside and mentioned to me that sometimes in meetings my face is an open book, especially when I think someone is proposing a stupid idea. Contempt writ large. I was kind of floored and had no idea I was doing it.
I'm sure nice marketing man with the piercing blue eyes wasn't really all that concerned, but he's kind of giving off signals that indicate otherwise. Maybe not even signals he knows he's giving.
4 comments:
I find that knitting mindless projects at meetings helps me keep a 'straight' face when I'm thinking "You think we should do *what*?" I can always bend over and stare at the stitches for a minute while I compose myself.
What exactly is "salt and pepper hair"??!
Dark hair that is turning grey. Or in this guy's case, more 'salt' than 'pepper' - even though he was probably only in his late 30s.
You all need to play more Poker (the type WITH cards ;-).
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