Don’t Be the Messenger

I was at a farmers market over the weekend and told the person ringing up my order how much I loved a product they sell. She replied, “I really like hearing that! Would you please tell our boss? He’s over there, and he doesn’t listen to us when we tell him, but if you told him, it would really make a difference.”
Well, I think you can guess what happened. I went over to talk to the boss, but he wouldn’t really look at me. He had his arms crossed, looking straight ahead—not receptive at all. He gave me a quick “thank you,” and I walked away.
I realized that sometimes when someone asks you to deliver a message they haven’t been able to communicate successfully, it’s not so much about the person delivering the message but the person receiving it.
I learned my lesson, and maybe you can learn from mine. So, the next time someone asks you to deliver a message they’re struggling with, think twice — I wish I had!