[peter365] Sitting Still

[peter365]

Hi there puzzle people. It's me again.

Why did I recently tell my boss, in front of a room full of people, that he should 'practice what he preaches'? I had absolutely no qualms about saying so either


The puzzle title is for my own amusement and is only relevant in a very remote, and not worth pursuing way. Followers of my occasional puzzles over the years may recognise the reference.

[Earnest]

Hi again!!

tell = speak face to face with him while others were wearing what you were saying?
tell = chat with your boss and write it down?
tell = you and your colleagues were doing a sort of game insulting an image/picture of your boss?
Were all people present in the room at the same time? Was someone on video conference?
Relevant what's your job? White collar? Pink collar? restaurant? Blue collar?
Did your boss expect that the sentence was told him? Did you want something negative happen to you? Did you expect a reaction from your boss?

so...I suppose no negative consequences for your deed right? Positive ones?
room full of people...had any there of the members present in the room told him the same, would he/she be punished? Would he/she receive the same treatment as you? Was it a business meeting? I mean, was your boss in the guise of being your boss in the moment you told him the sentence or in the guise of one of your friends for instance?

Did you tell the sentence in jest? or were you serious/offended? Did you scream? Did the other people hear what you told him?

[peter365]

Earnest

Hi again!! Hi there

tell = speak face to face with him while others were wearing what you were saying? Yes
tell = chat with your boss and write it down? No
tell = you and your colleagues were doing a sort of game insulting an image/picture of your boss?
Were all people present in the room at the same time? Yes Was someone on video conference? No
Relevant what's your job? Not really White collar? I work in the head office of Ireland's largest bank but it's only somewhat relevant Pink collar? restaurant? Blue collar?
Did your boss expect that the sentence was told him? Did you want something negative happen to you? No to both Did you expect a reaction from your boss? I was certainly hoping for one

so...I suppose no negative consequences for your deed right? That's right Positive ones? One small benefit but hard to quantify
room full of people...had any there of the members present in the room told him the same, would he/she be punished? No Would he/she receive the same treatment as you? Yes Was it a business meeting? Yes I mean, was your boss in the guise of being your boss in the moment you told him the sentence or in the guise of one of your friends for instance? He was in the guise of my boss

Did you tell the sentence in jest? Yes but with good reason or were you serious/offended? Not at all Did you scream? No Did the other people hear what you told him? Yes

[Earnest]

were the people present all your colleagues? Did they work institution as yours?
so you expect him simply to practice what he preaches so that you and your colleagues can have the small deserved benefit?

was the sentence part of a larger one? Part of a song? (seems stupid but I recently heard "Where is the love" of Black eyed peas) or did you simply told him "you should practice what you preach"? Was it in consequence of something your boss did? something he told? Something concerning work? something concerning that specific meeting? Relevant in which part of the meeting you tell him so? At the beginning of the meeting? In the middle? At the end? Did you talk in turns at the meeting or all together? Relevant? If so relevant who was talking at the time you told your boss the sentence?

Did he "preach" something like rights of subordinates? If so right of more free time? Of a comfortable place of work? Higher salaries? Or did he "preach" some "non-written" behavioral rule such as "don't interrupt the others while talking"? "don't play with the phone during the meetings"?

Did the fact that you let him notice that he wasn't practicing what he preaches underline that somehow you were practicing instead what he preached and he didn't practice in that moment? (don't know if it is clear...)

[Balin]

Were the others present actually paying attention to the remark? Did anyone else do anything that led to the remark?

[peter365]

Earnest

were the people present all your colleagues? Did they work institution as yours? Yes to both
so you expect him simply to practice what he preaches so that you and your colleagues can have the small deserved benefit? Yes but describing it as a benefit could mislead

was the sentence part of a larger one? Yes, I said he should practice what he preaches by........ Part of a song? (seems stupid but I recently heard "Where is the love" of Black eyed peas) or did you simply told him "you should practice what you preach"? Nothing to do with a song I'm afraid Was it in consequence of something your boss did? Yes, or was doing rather than did. something he told? Yes Something concerning work? Yes something concerning that specific meeting? Yes Relevant in which part of the meeting you tell him so? At the beginning of the meeting? In the middle? At the end? It was after a couple of minutes Did you talk in turns at the meeting or all together? Relevant? If so relevant who was talking at the time you told your boss the sentence? The meeting was more of a briefing being given by my boss. It's important to establish what he was briefing us on

Did he "preach" something like rights of subordinates? No If so right of more free time? Of a comfortable place of work? Higher salaries? Or did he "preach" some "non-written" behavioral rule such as "don't interrupt the others while talking"? "don't play with the phone during the meetings"? No to all

Did the fact that you let him notice that he wasn't practicing what he preaches underline that somehow you were practicing instead what he preached and he didn't practice in that moment? (don't know if it is clear...) no it's a bit more simple than that. I had my tongue firmly in cheek when I said it

[peter365]

Balin

Were the others present actually paying attention to the remark? Yes it got a bit of a laugh Did anyone else do anything that led to the remark? Only my boss who was giving the briefing.

[Earnest]

describing it as a benefit could mislead --> did you just want to make the present laugh? To make a joke?

briefing about an advertising campaign? About some recent data on the balance score? About new directives to be applied? About a project? A problem to be solved?

It was after a couple of minutes--> so was there a slide show? relevant? Relevant images? Was he listing data/details of a project? Did you interrupt him? Or did he ask if someone wanted to intervene? Relevant?
If the slides line is correct...were there possibly offensive/ineffective images or sentences? Did he preach something that usually bosses preach like efficiency? Time saving? Money saving? Respecting deadlines?

he should practice what he preaches by........--> did you suggest a strategy? A line to solve a problem?

[peter365]

Earnes

describing it as a benefit could mislead --> did you just want to make the present laugh? To make a joke? It was done for comedic effect but I had a genuine reason for saying it as well.

briefing about an advertising campaign? About some recent data on the balance score? About new directives to be applied? This is closest no to the rest. About a project? A problem to be solved?

It was after a couple of minutes--> so was there a slide show? Yes relevant? No, the situation would a have arisen regardless of whether there was a slide show or not. Relevant images? No Was he listing data/details of a project? No Did you interrupt him? Yes but not in a rude way ]Or did he ask if someone wanted to intervene? No Relevant? Not really
If the slides line is correct...were there possibly offensive/ineffective images or sentences? Nothing at all Did he preach something that usually bosses preach like efficiency? Time saving? Money saving? Respecting deadlines? He was reminding us of an obligation we have as employees

he should practice what he preaches by........--> did you suggest a strategy? I suggested he do something but it couldn't be described as a strategy A line to solve a problem? No

[Earnest]

obligation we have as employees -->punctuality? Did the briefing begin later than expected?

[peter365]

Earnest

obligation we have as employees Yes -->punctuality? no it's more high level than that. Did the briefing begin later than expected? Unusually for my company it started on time

For what it's worth I work in the Financial Services sector.

[Balin]

Is the obligation towards customers? Towards co-workers? Towards bosses?
Is the obligation related to time? Money? Technology?

[Earnest]

Obligation for the safety of clients? For the privacy? For the well-being inside the company? Measures to be undertaken? Reporting? Transparency in transactions / financial operations?

[peter365]

Balin

Is the obligation towards customers? no it's more of an internal obligation Towards co-workers? Elements of this Towards bosses? and this
Is the obligation related to time? Money? this is closest Technology?

[peter365]

Earnest

Obligation for the safety of clients? For the privacy? For the well-being inside the company? Measures to be undertaken? Reporting? This is very relevant Transparency in transactions / financial operations? And this could also be relevant.

[Earnest]

something about the quality and the cleaners of information? About the means of communications? about ambiguities? Cooperation?

Did he report something just partially? Wrongly? Without being well informed? making false or risky assumptions?

[peter365]

Earnest

something about the quality and the cleaners of information? No if I understand what you mean here. About the means of communications? about ambiguities? Cooperation? No to all

Did he report something just partially? Wrongly? Without being well informed? making false or risky assumptions? He didn't do any of these things. He made one small mistake that many speakers at meetings make.

[Earnest]

speak without microphone? Not speaking laud? Does it involve the fact that you were not able to listen at him? To follow the speech?

[peter365]

Earnest

Speak without microphone? Yes Not speaking laud? Yes Does it involve the fact that you were not able to listen at him? To follow the speech? Spot on , I was unable to hear what he was saying. So why did I ask him to practice what he preached.

[Earnest]

Maybe because he preaches cleareness in sharing info? To listen carefoully? Something involving listening? Speaking laud? Like made sure that also the last rows of a theatre are able to listen at what you are saying? Did he preach the way to carry on a well speech? To capture audience attention? To bring all necessary (like a microphone)? To be sure...you meant what he preached in the past and not what he preaches in that specific meeting right?

Or...because during the speech he was preaching something you were unable to listen to, you asked him to practice what he was saying so that you were able to see him even though the words he was saying were not clear for you?

[peter365]

Earnest

Maybe because he preaches cleareness in sharing info? To listen carefoully? Something involving listening? Speaking laud? Like made sure that also the last rows of a theatre are able to listen at what you are saying? Did he preach the way to carry on a well speech? To capture audience attention? To bring all necessary (like a microphone)? To be sure...you meant what he preached in the past and not what he preaches in that specific meeting right? No to all , what he was discussing had nothing to do with presentation skills. And no I meant he should practice what he preached during that specific meeting.

Or...because during the speech he was preaching something you were unable to listen to, you asked him to practice what he was saying so that you were able to see him even though the words he was saying were not clear for you? Not this either.

Clue: He was outlining a corporate responsibility that each employee has and ironically a lot of people in the room had difficulty hearing him.

[CoffeeBean]

That the company should present a clear message to clients?

[Grip]

Is the condition of clinical deafness relevant?

[Earnest]

Well someone could have argued ironically that only who listened the boss had those responsibilities...

So when you told him that he should practice what he was preacing at the mweting, was it clear for everybody that you were asking him to speak louder?

[peter365]

Coffeebean

That the company should present a clear message to clients? No that's not it.

[peter365]

Grip

Is the condition of clinical deafness relevant? [b] Not at all [/b]

[peter365]

Earnest

Well someone could have argued ironically that only who listened the boss had those responsibilities... You could, what he was doing was briefing a company policy pertaining to a particular corporate responsiblity . The name of the policy is key.

So when you told him that he should practice what he was preacing at the mweting, was it clear for everybody that you were asking him to speak louder? Yes because I quickly followed it by explaining what I meant.

[Balin]

Was the responsibility to speak in a way that everyone in the company could understand?

[Earnest]

corporate responsibility = ethics? in investing? risk management? information? to understand the needs of consumers? Something involving respect/needs of employees/auditors/public? E.g. clearly inform the public?

[peter365]

Balin

Was the responsibility to speak in a way that everyone in the company could understand? No , but I'd be for that

[peter365]

Earnest

corporate responsibility = ethics? Very relevant in investing? risk management? information? to understand the needs of consumers? Something involving respect/needs of employees/auditors/public? E.g. clearly inform the public? There's an element of informing the public, yes.

[Earnest]

Ethics = in written or oral communications? In reporting money transactions? E.g. include not just the final result but all the passages that led to that result? Like you that with your boss speaking without a microphone was not able to listen" the entire speech but just parts of it? (And so your boss wasn't able to "report" all the speech)

[peter365]

Ethics = in written or oral communications? No In reporting money transactions? Some element of reporting is relevant but it's not to do with routine transactions E.g. include not just the final result but all the passages that led to that result? Not really Like you that with your boss speaking without a microphone was not able to listen" the entire speech but just parts of it? (And so your boss wasn't able to "report" all the speech) Not this. I was sitting in the back of the room and had to strain to hear what he was saying before I got frustrated and made the remark

[Earnest]

So...was he preaching instructions for "fair, honest" communication?

As far as I've understood the relevant elements are clarity, ethics, reporting and info to the public, right? So was he giving instructions on how to fairly behave? Communication skills? Methodologies/instruments to correctly communicate? To deal with clients? That clients had not to make effort in order to understand where their money were invested? Simplicity in communicating what are the clause of the contracts?

[peter365]

So...was he preaching instructions for "fair, honest" communication? No

As far as I've understood the relevant elements are clarity, ethics, reporting and info to the public, right? Yes except that clarity is only relevant because of the name of the policy he was referring to. The policy itself does not deal with clarity of communications. So was he giving instructions on how to fairly behave? No , more what to do if you spot someone behaving unfairly Communication skills? Methodologies/instruments to correctly communicate? To deal with clients? None of these That clients had not to make effort in order to understand where their money were invested? Simplicity in communicating what are the clause of the contracts? And no to these either.

[Earnest]

 someone behaving unfairly--> like talking behind? Whispering in order to avoid to be listened to others about what you are saying?

Is something like if someone behave in a suspicious way/unfairly (like the boss that was not talking laud thus allowing just a part of the audience to listen) please report it to me?

Are the instructions relevant? Reporting to the boss? Lecturing him/her? Register to what he/she was doing? Take a picture of the documents he/she was signing?

[peter365]

Earnest

someone behaving unfairly--> like talking behind? Whispering in order to avoid to be listened to others about what you are saying? No it''s more to do with ethics in business

Is something like if someone behave in a suspicious way/unfairly (like the boss that was not talking laud thus allowing just a part of the audience to listen) please report it to me? No

Are the instructions relevant? Reporting to the boss? This is relevant Lecturing him/her? Register to what he/she was doing? Take a picture of the documents he/she was signing? The rest aren't relevant

[Earnest]

Is privacy relevant? Flow of news? Report to the boss before publishing? Report to the boss unfair actions of other employees? Responsibility of respecting the decors of the office? The ibstruments of the office? Responsibility in reporting if somethong is wrong?

Responsibility as an employee in the financial sector? As an employee in general? I mean...could it be also valid for employees of a restaurant or of a big company producing food?

CSR relevant?

[peter365]

Earnest

Is privacy relevant? Flow of news? Report to the boss before publishing? Report to the boss unfair actions of other employees? This one Responsibility of respecting the decors of the office? not sure what you mean by this The ibstruments of the office? Responsibility in reporting if somethong is wrong? This is relevant as long as the something wrong is to do with unethical behavior

Responsibility as an employee in the financial sector? As an employee in general? Yes I mean...could it be also valid for employees of a restaurant or of a big company producing food? Yes

CSR relevant? IDK , I'm not familiar with this TLA !!!

[Earnest]

did you mean simply that the behavior of your boss was unethical and you just reported to him?

[peter365]

Earnest

did you mean simply that the behavior of your boss was unethical and you just reported to him? No, don't forget my remark while intended to alert him to the fact that we couldn't hear him was said mainly in jest.

[peter365]

Summary/Hint

My company has a policy that requires staff to report any wrong doing or unethical behaviour that they come across. The name of this policy is relevant. When briefing this obligation to my team my boss wasn't speaking loudly enough for everyone to hear. In telling him that he wasn't audible I was able to make a joke about practicing what he preaches.

[Balin]

Does the name of the policy involve "speaking up"?

[WiZ]

Alternatively, does it involve "whistleblowing"?

[peter365]

Balin

Does the name of the policy involve "speaking up"? Absolutely

WiZ
Alternatively, does it involve "whistleblowing"? No , although it's the name of our whistleblowing charter.

***************SPOILER**************

Thanks guys, as you probably guessed I was keen to kill this one off.

My company's whistle blowing charter is called 'The Speak Up Policy' . While my boss was briefing some changes to the policy some colleagues and I at the back of the room were unable to hear him. I get on well with my boss so I had no qualms about raising my hand and telling him that he should practice what he preaches. Seeing his puzzled expression I simply told him that he need to speak up!

Thanks for playing and to Earnest for all the groundwork.

[Earnest]

well done peter !!! Thank you!