understand | deborah parise

Laughter is the best medicine. This one is cute, and I hope it makes you smile. Here is a little bit of humor for your day!

No dictionary has ever been able to satisfactorily define the difference between “complete” and “finished.” However, during a recent linguistic conference, held in London, England, and attended by some of the best linguists in the world, Samsundar Balgobin, a Guyanese linguist, was the presenter when he was asked to make that very distinction.

The question put to him by a colleague in the erudite audience was this: “Some say there is no difference between ‘complete’ and ‘finished.’ Please explain the difference in a way that is easy to understand.”

Mr. Balgobin’s response: “When you marry the right woman, you are ‘complete.’ If you marry the wrong woman, you are ‘finished.’ And, if the right one catches you with the wrong one, you are ‘completely finished.’”

His answer received a five minute standing ovation.

When we come to know others and understand them on a deeper level, we can more accurately identify their needs and concerns. Here is what I have learned recently from an online video course taken from the Project Management Institute, Inc. entitled, “Leading with Emotional Intelligence.”

We all remember the Golden Rule from our childhoods: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

The Platinum Rule states this: “Do to others as they would want to have done to them.”

Regardless of how you might personally want to be treated, the Platinum Rule is more empathetic and accommodating to the other person’s needs. Not everyone wants to be treated the same way. Let go of the Golden Rule and use the Platinum Rule instead.