Listening to a complainer can be tedious. Wonh, wonh, waaaa. The sun isn’t shining bright enough, their coffee isn’t hot enough, and on it goes. It can be a character trait for some. If they can’t see something off in their world, then the world itself is the object of their grief.
But some folks are constructive complainers. For the most part, they go along to get along. But then something strikes them as idiotic. These people’s opinions most probably have some merit. So let them vent! Not only is it therapeutic, but it is also valuable. Listen to Bill Maher complain to Jane Fonda about the regulatory burden on his garage door.
Now—there’s no point in complaining when the powers that be are in no mood to listen. Every kid knows to take the temperature of the room before making requests to mom or dad. A parent recovering from a rough day is bound to be a more stringent rulemaker. Biding a little time can result in greater freedom. Wait them out until their frame of mind improves.
The time seems right in America for objections to inefficiencies. If you can’t get your garage door replaced, say it out loud. If you can’t get your lot approved for a rebuild—take it to the airwaves. The mood is open to housing growth over fears of a tall building throwing shade on a neighbor for a few hours daily.
Complaining is also most productive when solutions are possible. A deep recession is not such a time, for instance. But today’s economic environment is solid. There’s money churning in the system, and workers are able to get out and about ready to tackle new projects. Set them to work by complaining!
Hopefully, the record-keeping types will jump on board with this project and collect the notes. The same folks who show up at the PTA meetings and scribble out the meeting minutes in shorthand are perfect for the job. If they could pair up with someone gifted in the data visualization field, even better. Then, the crucial complaints can be told boldly, the numbers can be tallied for depth, and the information can be shared repeatedly so all benefit from the feedback.
Don’t delay. Time is not on the complainers’ side. It will soon become unpopular to lodge criticisms, no matter how objective. Just remember, riffling through all that mud, one is bound to dig out a few precious gems.
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