Most of the guys were outside on break, and everyone could hear Billy shouting from inside the workshop. “I’m sick and tired of him! We need to get’em outta here!”

Freddie, the owner, looked at his best and most seasoned employee. “Who? What’re you talkin’ ‘bout?”

“He’s gonna get himself, or worse, one of us killed! Electricity ain’t somethin’ to play with.”

Trying to understand, Freddie continued investigating. “What’s going on? What did he do?”

At his wit's end, Billy tried calming himself down as he took a swig of his Mtn. Dew. “Look, Freddie, I’ve gone over and over this with him, and he just keeps messin’ it up. I swear, that boy’s doin’ it on purpose just to boil my blood. I think he's got a glitch.”

“Who?” Freddie eagerly asked again.

“I’m talkin’ ‘bout Zac!”

The look on Freddie’s face changed. “Zac? You mean the 17-year-old kid we just hired three days ago?”

~~~~~~~~~~

It’s extremely easy to have the same expectations for everyone without even realizing it.

It’s easy to assume everyone should have the same knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes that you have taken a lifetime to learn and develop.

When someone upsets, disappoints, or confuses us, the go-to reaction is usually to assume they did it on purpose. How hard is it to give people the benefit of the doubt and believe their actions or inactions had very little or nothing to do with you?