The first day every semester she saw 120 new students. 4 classes, each with 30 seats.
In her book the famous Patricia Ryan Madson, one of the grand dames of drama and improv, teaching at Stanford University, describes that experience.
She elaborates on the importance of taking care of people, acting respectfully and memorizing their stories. She went so far that she trained herself to memorize ALL 120 names at once each starting day of a new semester.
When I read this I almost fainted. What an amazing ability!
This lady explains that it is all about our personal standards and what we expect of ourselves to do and be. No one else defines how our norm should look like. It’s up to us to make that decision.
For her, it is just polite to memorize all the names of her students. She expects of herself to remember their face and name at the first meeting. When asked how she does that, her answer simple is: “I just do it. I expect that it works.”
This reminds me of people who never stop developing their craft.
To them, its all about going above and beyond.
They always see opportunities to improve, they always are willing to embrace better ways. They keep the curious mind of the novice who looks at their work with fresh eyes.
I have met people with excellent skills, but hardly taking any notice of the people around them, never mind, remembering their faces and names. There are also some old hands that insist on the status quo and see themselves as experts in an unhealthy way.
They think they are always right. How they go about things is just perfect and they never should adapt anything.
When Alexander Graham Bell offered the Western Union Communications Company his new invention, the telephone in 1876, they let him know: “This device has obvious limitations, it is hardly more than a toy.” – How arrogant and erroneous in judgement.
I have to say, I like the curious people and I like the amazing standards, the Stanford lady presents. I feel inspired to be a little more like her.
When Michelangelo aged 88 was asked when he plans to retire from his craft, he simply said: “Whenever I stop learning. Until that day I continue.”
And strangely these attitude applies to all areas of life. Not just work.
Let’s put our best foot forward.
Have a beautiful fall,
much love,
Anselma
