Cup of Inspiration

Today, January 31^st, is Eat Brussel Sprouts Day. Today is the day to try to incorporate this healthy green into at least one of your meals.

I will hear people make fun of brussel sprouts. You may have to adapt a taste for it, but it also depends on how you cook it. Do you boil it? Are you drowning out all the flavor and some of the nutritional value? Are you covering it up in some sauce loaded with sodium to cover up the natural flavor of this vegetable?

I enjoy brussel sprouts, and I don’t like covering up the flavor. Freshly steamed with a hint of seasoning (no salt) is an ideal side dish. I can also enjoy topping off a helping of mixed rice with steamed brussel sprouts for a simple meal. Then there is the option of roasting a few of these small cabbages along with some sliced potatoes and green beans, also seasoned liberally without salt.

Brussel sprouts can be delicious and healthy, or they can be a disgusting item on your dinner plate. A person’s individual taste will determine which category they fall into. However, the way they are presented to the person at the dinner table will play a big part in how that person perceives the dish.

Is there a process you follow at work? Does it work for you so well that you can’t understand why it isn’t working for others? Is there a process you are struggling with, and can’t understand how anyone could make it work? The reason for the disconnect can be the fact that people work differently. Some people want to be around others to bounce off ideas, staying engaged throughout the day. Others work best in a quiet room alone with their thoughts to work through an assignment. Some people learn by simply reading a lesson. Others learn by doing, getting their hands on it to learn the steps.

If a process isn’t working for someone, it may be the way it was presented to them. They were just told what to do, but never shown. Someone gave them a demonstration, but they have no written guide for reference.

Some people who say they hate brussel sprouts may have just not been presented with a version they would enjoy. Then again, they may just hate them no matter what. A process may not be working because the people haven’t been trained in a matter that works for them, or the process will never work with those individuals regardless of presentation.

Before saying no to a process, explore the root cause. See if it’s just a matter of time or a little tweaking that’s needed, or if the process is just not right for a team. Before saying no to a side dish of brussel sprouts, try a dish cooked a different way. You may come to enjoy, or you may learn it just isn’t the vegetable for you. Remembering that every individual thinks (and tastes) differently is key when presenting a new process (or vegetable dish.)