I was sitting at my desk, which is opposite the window in my office.
I noticed a young boy and a dog walk past.
Thankfully the dog didn’t stop to you know what.
Next thing I heard the lid on the neighbour’s garbage being opened and shut really quickly.
That’s odd, I thought. The neighbour was at work. It was about 4:00pm. I didn’t give it any more thought until Ross happened to mention the garbage lid.
Ross was outside when the young boy and dog walked past.
He watched the young boy lift the lid on the neighbour’s bin (which usually sits outside on the nature strip in front of his house).
The young boy had a small plastic bag in his hand which he threw in the neighbour’s bin.
Yep. It was the dog pooh.
“Uggh! Wow!” I exclaimed to Ross. “That’s not very nice.”
“He does it all the time”, said Ross.
“Oh, that’s a bit ordinary. I wouldn’t like it in my bin.”
“Well, he’s sort of doing the right thing” argued Ross. “At least he picks it up.”
Oh boy. This conversation wasn’t going anywhere I wanted it to go.
Still Ross had a point.
What’s the right thing to do?
Pick up the pooh, even if you dump it in someone else’s bin or not pick up the pooh?
Or pick up the pooh and take it home with you or throw it in a public garbage bin?
I know one thing for sure, I certainly won’t be leaving my bin out the front any longer than it needs to be.
Over to you, what’s the right thing to do?
Another of those values collisions?
What’s that you ask?
A values collision occurs when we have a difference of opinion and yet there is no tangible effect on me for you having a different opinion or value.
Values collisions require different skills to resolve.
And I’m curious. What would you do if you were the young boy with the dog?
P.S. I’m so chuffed. People are reading my book and the feedback has been awesome. “A pocket full of goodness” said one reader. That makes me so happy that a. it’s being read and b. readers are getting great value from it (Win Win). Order your copy here, https://shirleydalton.com/books
P.P.S Dates for our next Leading Yourself and Leading Others experience have been set for May in Newcastle, NSW. Tuesday 3rd May, Thursdays 12th, 19th and 26th May. For more information go to https://shirleydalton.com/leading-yourself-leading-others-may2020/
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