The Word-Mimic

My granddaughter is a word-mimic. Most children are, of course, as they absorb and internalize language skills.
One day she attended a board meeting for a non-profit association with me. As the finance director, I had a report to give and I planned to do it quickly and excuse myself. Grandma was on duty today while the parents worked because child-care arrangements changed at the last minute. It happens. We arrived with crayons, paper, and books to pacify my three-year-old for 10 to 15 minutes. The board spent the first three minutes attending to Addie--cute, adorable, smart, precious Addie. Then, down to business: the new president changed the agenda items' sequence for reports.
After almost an hour of entertaining herself on the cold, tile floor of the conference room Addie said she had to go to the bathroom. I excused us and we went across the hall. A few minutes later, we returned to wait my turn and endure more discussion items. After 12 more minutes, Addie said she needed to go again. I took hold of her hand again and off we went across the hall. We entered the restroom, she turned to look at me and said, "I done now, Gramma." Having been a parent, I know this can happen with a child recently potty-trained. Back to the conference room. Four minutes later: "Gramma, I poopy."
I took a deep breath as my colleagues muffled their giggles, took her hand again, and escorted her to the restroom. Just inside the open door, she announced, "I done now." This was not fun or funny now. I marched her back to the conference room, asked to give my report out of order, and ushered her out to the car. As I buckled her in the carseat, I gave her a piece of my mind and some choice words: "Dammit, Addie, don't tell me you have to use the bathroom when you don't. I know the meeting was too long. I wanted it over, too, but I was not in charge. I am not happy. When we get home we will talk about this some more." She held her reserve and paced her words carefully, "Gramma, I dammit, too!"
Hearing those words startled me into realizing how our words in anger and frustration infiltrate our relationships. Tranferring that realization to the workplace suggests that when the powers that be dictate without regard to the employees' needs rather than collaborate and encourage in non-emergency situations, we may find the subordinates exercising their personal power in disengagement, absenteeism, or sabotage. Addie is smart! She will be a formidable negotiator.