It’s No Wonder!

My day job is with a company that publishes educational materials for professionals.  My division deals with accounting, auditing, business consultation, governmental accounting, and tax accounting — and a bunch of other boring subjects dealing with figures, regulations, and calculations.   

Today, we received an unusual customer complaint.  An accountant said that our forensic accounting supplemental video was offensive.

Two things surprised me: 
  

• First, someone actually watched one of our boring accounting videos.  
• Second, that person found the forensic accounting material offensive.

Because this accountant wasn’t specific in detailing the complaint, we couldn’t really address whatever the problem was.  All we could do was pass on the customer's comments to the forensic investigator who created and presented the material in the video. 

But the incident does remind us that we initially come to each other as strangers… with individual expectations and personal history.  We bring along our insecurities and fears, our bias and prejudices, our judgments and righteousness, and our preconceived notions and half-truths.

With all of this going on, it’s no wonder that it’s impossible to satisfy everyone and just as impossible not to offend someone along the way — no matter how hard we try... and no matter what subject we're discussing.  

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