Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Walking in Silent Mode



Ninjas.
You can learn so much from them.

When I dress for work I wear these big stomper type shoes which I consider necessary. I don't like those business shoes that look flat and European.
Yes, that makes them heavier but they are cheaper, more cushioned and I prefer the way they look. Since they are heavier, when I walk they make me stomp which is why I call them "stompers."

Walking around cubicles people can hear me coming and sometimes poke their heads out, halting my progress in order to resolve their usually petty issue.
Since I was a child I practiced stepping quietly. (It's quite the workout actually you should try it.) Not tip toeing but carefully placing your heals and progressing with the smooth even stride that greatly reduces both wind resistance and pant friction.

Yes you look stupid doing it.

Granted you don't look as stupid as say...a speed walker but stupid nevertheless. (For the greatest comedy skit featuring speed walking watch this episode of Malcom in the Middle.) Interesting M.I.T.M. trivia: Malcom's eldest brother, Francis is played by Christopher Kennedy Masterson, and his brother, Danny Masterson, played Steven Hyde on "That 70s Show."

ANYWAY!

This skill, if you can call it that, has saved me quite a bit of time. I have returned of course to resolve or assist them with their problems but only after they request assistance through the right channels. Organization equals efficiency. Walking in Silent Mode has saved me from repeated time consuming explanations about why people need to request assistance the official way. It saves us all a lot of time in the long run if they only spend a few more seconds.

Anyone else use this technique or am I the only dork?

2 comments:

Douglas said...

For most of my working years, I have worn the lightest sneaker type shoes I can find within my price range. These have been variously known as "cross trainers", "basketball shoes", "running shoes", "tennies", "athletic shoes", etc. I find that New Balance makes just about the lightest available. I began wearing them because of back problems exacerbated by the hard heels of most dress shoes (even the rubber heels are fairly hard) impacting a concrete based floor. Wearing rubber soled shoes greatly reduced the problem. I even wore those weird crepe soled shoes but they were basically just too ugly.

Thanks for the walk down memory lane. I still only wear those athletic shoes most of the time, even my golf shoes look like athletics.

HektikLyfe said...

>Douglas: I wear soft shoes wherever I go except work. There is a certain degree of feigned professionalism that is expected here that prevents me from wearing those comfortable/more functional shoes.

If I ever find a nice looking black tennis shoe that I like and that doesn't turn gray at the first scuff, I'm sure it will be discontinued soon after I buy my first pair. That is the way things go.