🐿️ Mr. Squirrel's Communication Wisdom
Lessons from the Faraway Nut Farm: How to avoid rotten priorities and chaotic harvests
Mr. Squirrel's Golden Nut Rules
🌰 Sort Your Nuts, Don't Hoard Them
Share the rotten nuts (urgent issues) immediately. Your harvest crew needs to know about rotting priorities, not your secret nut stashes.
🐿️ "I'm blocked by... this nut is getting moldy in my personal pile" - Mr. Squirrel is not amused.
📅 Harvest in Seasons, Not Chaos
Even nut discussions need clear timing. Set start and end times so farmers don't wander off to their secret stashes.
🌾 "This meeting could have been a quick chat by the barn" - Every farmer, before Mr. Squirrel's wisdom
🌾 Focus on the Harvest
Don't just talk about collecting nuts - talk about why these nuts matter for the winter and what a good harvest looks like.
🤔 "We're gathering nuts that do... nutty things" - Even Mr. Squirrel can't help with that
🔄 Check Your Nuts Regularly
Regular nut inspections prevent rotten surprises. Small priority adjustments beat discovering a moldy backlog.
🌾 "Plot twist: All our 'green' nuts ripened overnight!" - Every harvest season at the farm
Farm Crisis Scenarios (And How Mr. Squirrel Saves the Day)
🌰 Scenario: "The Great Nut Rot Crisis" Daily Standup
The Situation: Half the farmers found rotten nuts, the harvest showcase is tomorrow, and someone just discovered their entire secret stash has gone moldy.
Mr. Squirrel's Response:
- 🐿️ Acknowledge the rot: "Okay farmers, let's sort these nuts together"
- 🌰 Focus on priorities: "Which nuts absolutely must be ready for tomorrow's showcase?"
- 🌾 Mobilize the harvest crew: "Who can pair up to save the ripening nuts?"
- ⏰ Set next check: "Let's meet by the barn in 2 hours with updates"
💡 Remember: Good farming doesn't prevent rot, it just makes the harvest crew more efficient at spotting it!
🤐 Scenario: The Secret Stash Farmer
The Situation: Someone always says "My nuts are fine, just sorting them" but their pile looks suspiciously chaotic.
Mr. Squirrel's Response:
- 🌰 Ask specific questions: "Which nuts are you prioritizing - the rotten, ripening, or raw ones?"
- 🌾 Offer partnership: "Would it help to sort these nuts with another farmer?"
- 📋 Check understanding: "Do the nut priorities make sense to you?"
- 🔄 Follow up privately: "How can the harvest crew better support you?"
🐿️ Translation: "My nuts are fine" often means "I have a secret moldy pile but don't know where to start sorting"
Nut Farm Communication Do's and Don'ts
✅ DO's - The Fresh Harvest
🌰 Report rotten nuts immediately when spotted
🌾 Use specific nut examples instead of vague descriptions
🤝 Ask "How can I help sort?" instead of "That's not my field"
📝 Document harvest decisions and share nut priorities
🔄 Give specific, actionable sorting feedback
⏰ Respect harvest seasons and meeting timing
🎉 Celebrate good harvests, both big and small
❌ DON'Ts - The Rotten Pile
🙅 Say "My nuts are fine" when they're clearly moldy
📧 Have 6-farmer email chains that should be a 5-minute barn chat
🎭 Use fancy farm jargon when simple words work
🔥 Bring up new nut types during harvest showcase
🤐 Stay silent when your nut pile is confusing you
⏰ Turn a 15-minute nut check into a 45-minute sorting session
🎯 Blame individual farmers instead of examining the harvest process
Pro Tips from Mr. Squirrel's Wisdom
🎯 The "So What?" Test
Before sharing an update, ask yourself: "So what? Why does this matter to my team?"
🤷 If you can't answer "so what?" then maybe it doesn't need to be shared right now
🔄 The 24-Hour Rule
When something goes wrong, wait 24 hours before assigning blame. Focus on fixing first, learning second.
⏰ Hot take: Most "urgent" things aren't actually urgent at 2 AM
📊 Show, Don't Just Tell
Screenshots, demos, and examples communicate 10x better than long descriptions.
🖼️ "A picture is worth 1000 words, but a working demo is worth 1000 pictures"
🤝 Assume Positive Intent
When someone's communication seems off, assume they're trying to help, not hurt.
😊 "Never attribute to malice what can be explained by someone having a rough Monday"
"The goal of good farm communication isn't to chat more - it's to sort nuts better, faster, together."
- Mr. Squirrel, wise nut consultant of Faraway Nut Farm
This prototype is developed by kelaggan.com
Perfect for workshop sessions and team development initiatives