Sometimes its what they don't tell you...

I have always been fairly astute. Learned that reading between the lines was a skill that would take me far, early on.

But I have been blindsided by some of the craziest things. I mean, sometimes it really is all about what they do not tell you. So I offer up the following examples, starring me as the dumbass.....

• So my first 401 K presentation ever - was in a junk yard. Yeah, no joke - only no one bothered to share with me that a Recycling Storage Facility translated to a junk yard. Complete with crane and car crusher. I held the meeting in a tool shead, using a junk desk and table, thoughtfully provided by the guys from the yard. What did I learn from this - always ask if there is a real meeting room available and be very wary of locations with odd titles.
• I had to host a meeting in a factory. I have no clue what they were making, but it was something industrial. I had had no less than 7 conversation with my contact. She was a worrier and a caller - very needy. So, one would think that at some point in the 7 conversations, she might have mentioned, casually in passing perhaps, that the only way to the meeting room was via a catwalk across the shop floor. (Above all the workers and stuff.) But no, she did not mention this - until I arrived, dressed in a very smart suit - a skirt suit, with stockings - not panty hose. New black heels to boot. Yeah, I had to walk across the catwalk, over the shop floor in heels and a skirt, while everyone was watching & looking up! Nice. After that - it was pants all the way and I always asked if there was a meeting room and just how did one get there.
• In the previously posted, chain smoking story, P blind sided me with the whole language quiz. But before that - between the hours of 5:00 am and 6:00 am she had me thrown, as she neglected to remember to mention that the road I am supposed to take to get there has four names. Same road. Not that is changes names a certain points, this I am used to, but the same stretch of road actually has 4 names. Random people call it by one of the four names. She called it one thing, Mapquest another and finally a really nice guy a gas station made it all clear to me..... So you guessed it, now I ask just what the road is named and does it have any aliases?
• One of my clients decided to change their payroll cycles. This plan had a bunch of loans outstanding - it was a disaster. I was really mad. I was chewing out the account manager, when he politely pointed out, I had asked if they could change the payroll cycle. Well, duh! The he further pointed out that he never said that it would not cause a disaster. After that I always asked if any type of change would cause a disaster.

So see the devil really is in the details. Really. It is always the question that you do not ask that will nail you every time.