The 'What To Say' Struggle

I was riding high after being crowned Miss South Carolina on Saturday night. Now it was time to prepare for the Miss America Pageant.
Sitting in the pageant shop my mind was spinning with thoughts of a myriad of things to check off my list before walking on the stage in Atlantic City. I sat down by an older woman as I waited to meet with the gown designer. “My grand baby is getting a new dress,” said the proud grandmother. “Oh, that is nice.” I replied. “Yes-sire-re, she is gonna be in another beauty pageant. She is the Cucumber Queen and will compete for the title of Miss Fresh Fruit and Vegetable.” (Believe it or not, this is a pageant in the state of South Carolina.) “How nice,” I said. “Yes, it is all we think about! We are so excited,” exclaimed the grandmother.
Then the conversation became very interesting. “Did you see that beauty pageant on Saturday night?” she asked. Well, it was obvious she did not recognize me and I did not want to embarrass the sweet lady. I answered truthfully because I actually had not seen the pageant. “No,” I answered politely. “WELL, that girl that won….she is ugly….and she can’t sing neither.” Along with being somewhat surprised, I thought I would have some fun. I leaned over and tapped her on the leg, thinking surely she would find some humor with her faux-pas, “And she can’t cook, either!” “Yes,” stated the lady. “Just what I thought; she is pitiful!”
Suddenly the door opened; there stood the Cucumber Queen. She looked at me, gasped then exclaimed, “Oh, Granny! You are sitting by Miss South Carolina! She won the pageant we watched on Saturday night!” The grandmother looked at me, wide-eyed and jaw-dropped, “Oh, Lawd.” She said. “I need to ask you something. You ain’t judging Miss Fresh Fruit and Vegetable, are ya?”
How funny is that! Honestly, it’s all about having a good sense of humor and knowing how to communicate when things go wrong!
If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you were at a loss for what to say, Amy Caster’s book, Practical Communication: 25 Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Getting Along and Getting Things Done, offers practical communication providing streamlined tips for dealing with real-life scenarios. Amy shares her insight on how to become a more competent communicator by discovering:
• How to use silence effectively
• How to give and receive feedback
• When and how to say “no”
• Ways to interpret the behavior of others
• How to improve your listening skills
• Techniques for communicating to get results
Roger Rabbit said, “Sometimes a laugh is our only weapon” but effective communication can be the best of all weapons. Pass it on!
Don’t forget: to hear even more funny stories, contact me directly about having me speak at your next event!