Decision-making as a team

Do we need a trampoline?

This is something that I had never, ever considered considering all the other costs that need to be covered in our department. But now I had to decide quickly!

I received a phone call recently and the caller asked me whether we would like a small trampoline for use in our conductive groups. The caller gave me an internet website address so that I could take a look at what was on offer – a bouncing area one metre in diameter with railings on the sides to hold on to. It looked like an interesting prospect but I could not decide alone.

I was so glad that all my colleagues were all gathered just outside the office door at that moment so that I received help to make this on-the-spot decision; I was able to ask for their opinions. 

We had to make a snap decision and as I did not want to have a piece of equipment standing around in the months to come, collecting dust in a corner unused, we quickly added up how much use we would get from it.

Eventually there was a unanimous ‘Yes, please’ in answer to the question and it was not long before the promised piece of equipment arrived, complete with a how-to-do-it book and a CD with lots of movements explained to us.

We are still novices but the trampoline has already brought joy and success to some of us. Jolly Professor loves it and has increased his ability from three jumps in succession to thirty; he has learnt to keep his feet apart so that he can keep jumping for longer and his stamina is increasing. I think that he will soon show an improvement in his walking too by learning to walk from A to B in a straight line. While he is learning not to cross his feet over every third or fourth jump we hope he will transfer this ability to stepping on the ground.

We will look forward to learning more and we will see what it brings us it the future.

Thank you for the spontaneous phone call and for thinking about our needs.