I finally listened to the old rigger who said my hand signals were too fast

He pulled me aside after a lift in Portland last month and said, 'Kid, you're waving like you're swatting flies. My guy on the ground is 60, not 20.' I realized I was rushing my signals, assuming everyone could keep up. Now I slow each motion down by a full second and hold it clear. The communication is way smoother and the crew seems less stressed. Anyone else had to adjust their pace for an older crew member?

3 comments

3 Comments

dixon.nathan2mo ago

Honestly that's a huge thing in a lot of fields, not just rigging. Tbh we get so used to our own speed and assume everyone's on the same page. Ngl I see it all the time with younger managers talking way too fast for the veteran guys on the team. Slowing down your communication, whether it's hand signals or just explaining a task, makes everything safer and way less tense for everyone. It's a good reminder that pace matters as much as the message itself.

evand6512h agoMost Upvoted

Nate, a buddy of mine who does electrical work, told me he once spent ten minutes explaining a simple wiring fix to a new apprentice. Kept talking about load and neutral and circuits, hands flying around making diagrams in the air. Kid just stood there nodding, face blank as a wall. Finally Nate stopped, grabbed a pen, and drew the whole thing out step by step on a scrap of cardboard. Took maybe two minutes and the guy said "oh, that's easy" right away. Nate said he felt like an idiot for assuming the kid even knew what a neutral wire was.

jake_mason302mo ago

Ever try to explain a software bug to my grandpa? Same energy. I was showing my uncle how to reset his router and my fingers were flying across the screen. He just stared at my hands like I was doing magic tricks. Had to slow way down, point at each button, and actually say the name of it out loud. Felt silly but he got it on the first try after that. Pacing is everything when you're the one who already knows the steps.