I’m just a Dumb Trainer; But I can’t fix stupid – Ballpoint or Felt?

I work for a large ISP, training anything my boss tells me to.  Last week I had 6 figure salaried executives, teaching them executive leadership techniques, and then the day I had a class of entry level telephone reps, working with them on internet tech support basics.

I was standing at the head of the class, talking about how to create a shortcut to an application on their desktop, something our reps do fairly often.

One particular woman in her 60’s had been with the company for nearly 15 years, and used a computer at work for most of them.  We’d already covered the ‘drag and drop’ method, when I moved on to the second method.

“There is an alternate method to create a shortcut,” I began.  “If you right click on the desktop, you’ll get a menu.”

The older woman raised her hand immediately, and looked very confused.

I paused for a second, wondering how she could possibly have a question, before I said “Yes Deb?”

“With a marker?” she asked.

“I’m sorry, what?” I said.

“When you said ‘write click on the desktop’,  I was wondering if I should use a marker.  My pen doesn’t write very well on the laminate desk.”

~ by Victor Tookes on October 18, 2011.