Apparently there is language drama in Montreal:
The unofficial greeting in the bilingual Canadian city of Montreal has long been a friendly “Bonjour, Hi!”
But that standard is no more since a motion mandating store clerks to greet customers only in French was passed in Quebec’s provincial legislature.
The problem is that Montreal is officially French-speaking. But English is extremely popular, and the main language of tourism. So ingenious citizens came up with “Bonjour-hi” as a way to be inclusive, and signal that they are capable of speaking english and french.
We have something to learn here. When in doubt: offer options.
- When giving a suggestion, offer two if you don’t know for sure
- When asking boss for advice, offer two possible solutions
- When trying to make a decision, consider at least two options
- When somebody is [un]comfortable, offer them option to stay or leave
Picking one out of two is hard, so let’s recall what Agile Software Development teaches us:
When faced with two or more alternatives that deliver roughly the same value, take the path that makes future change easier.
Dave Thomas
By following “Bonjour-hi” approach, we are not diluting power or wasting time, we are showing that we are empathetic and thoughtful. Offering option doesn’t need to be artificial, stick to your guns when you are sure. But otherwise — consider two options.