PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE

Just My Luck

Goal To examine personal perspective and its impact on how one perceives things.

Participants will interpret a philosophical saying and share their interpretations.

Time Required Approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour

Group Size Subgroups of four or five persons each

Materials

• One fortune slip, one copy of the Just My Luck Worksheet, and a pencil for each participant

PROCESS

1. Prior to the session, prepare one fortune slip for each participant by cutting the Just My Luck Fortune Slips sheet into separate strips. A different fortune should be given to each subgroup, but members of each subgroup should have slips from the same fortune.

2. Introduce the session by stating that the way in which we interpret information and concepts shapes our perception of the world. Participants will have the opportunity to compare their personal perspectives with one another by interpreting some “bits of advice” that might be found in fortune cookies.

3. Form subgroups of four or five persons each.

4. Distribute one fortune slip, one worksheet, and a pencil to each participant.

5. Referring to the worksheet, review the directions and then tell the participants to work individually to complete the sheet.

6. Allow approximately 5 minutes for completion of the task, then ask members of each subgroup to discuss their individual interpretations and examples.

7. Allow approximately 15 minutes for group discussion, giving a 2-minute warning before time expires. Have a member of each subgroup read the fortune slip that was received, and ask for a review of the various interpretations and some examples that were provided.

8. Facilitate a large group discussion by asking the following questions:

• How closely did your personal interpretation match those of other members of your group?

• What were some of the similarities? Some differences?

• Given that perception has a strong impact on the description and diagnosis of events, were the examples provided by the various group members more often similar or more often different? Be specific.

• What factors contribute to how an individual perceives things? (Answers might include culture, education, experience, upbringing, and so forth.)

• How does individual perception play a role in customer service interactions?

• How can we use this information to improve the customer service experience?

JUST MY LUCK FORTUNE SLIPS

The doors to opportunity are marked push and pull. ______________________________________________________________

Furious activity is no substitute for understanding. _______________________________________________________________

The first time it is a favor; the second time a rule. ________________________________________________________________

The road to success is always under construction. ________________________________________________________________

It is a great piece of skill to know how to guide your luck, even while waiting for it. ________________________________________

Even the smallest candle burns brighter in the dark. _______________________________________________________________

Mediocrity finds safety in standardization. ______________________________________________________________________

There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same. _______________________________________

The attacker must vanquish; the defender need only survive. _______________________________________________________

Men in the game are blind to what men looking on see clearly. ______________________________________________________

An ant may well destroy a whole dam. ________________________________________________________________________

JUST MY LUCK WORKSHEET

Directions: Take a few minutes to reflect on the philosophical saying written on the fortune slip you received. Next, write your interpretation of what the saying means to you. Finally, provide three examples of how this saying relates to actions that occur in your workplace.

Interpretation

Examples

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