Look at the Bird! – The Art of Distracting in Business and Projects

Ever been in a meeting, presenting a project delay, and suddenly, out of nowhere, your boss says, “But what about the new coffee machine?” ?? BAM! You've just been hit with the classic “Look at the Bird” distraction trick, also known as a red herring. It’s like a magician making you look one way while something important happens somewhere else.

This happens all the time in the world of business, client negotiations, and even between employees and their managers. And let’s be honest, we’ve all either used it or been victims of it.

Let’s dive into how this trick shows up in the workplace and how you can spot it—before you end up being the one staring at the bird.

1. The Client's “Look at the Bird” Moment ??

Clients love to pull this move when things aren't going their way. Imagine you’re presenting the progress of a project, and the client realizes there's a delay in the timeline. Instead of addressing the delay directly, they suddenly start focusing on an irrelevant detail:

• Client: “Why is the font on this document Arial? Shouldn’t it be Helvetica?”
• You: “But… about the delivery delay…”
• Client: “The font! It’s so important.”

Now, the client knows that the font isn’t the core issue, but shifting focus to something trivial gives them a way to control the narrative. And you, my friend, are left talking fonts instead of timelines.

Pro Tip for Companies:

When the client starts talking fonts, always bring it back: “Helvetica is a great choice! But, let’s finalize the delivery date so we can get the design just right.”

2. The Company’s Sneaky Distraction ???♂?

On the flip side, companies are guilty too. Let’s say a client is asking about overdue deliverables, but your team is still figuring things out. What better way to delay the awkwardness than to “distract” them?

• Client: “Why haven’t we received the analytics report?”
• You (the sneaky manager): “Oh, before we dive into that, have you seen the new dashboard feature we’re working on? It's so exciting!”

While your client is now mesmerized by the shiny new feature (the bird), you’ve bought your team extra time to get the analytics report together.

But here’s the catch: too many distractions, and the client will catch on. They’ll stop looking at the bird and start demanding answers.

3. Managers vs. Employees: The Distraction Tango ??

In office dynamics, Look at the Bird becomes a delicate dance between managers and their teams. Here’s how it goes:

The Manager's Move:

• Employee: “I haven’t received my raise yet. We agreed on it last quarter.”
• Manager (pointing at the bird): “Did you notice the new team project we just got? If we nail this one, we’re all set for huge bonuses!”

Suddenly, the conversation shifts away from your overdue raise and towards a new project. Sure, bonuses sound great, but what about that raise?

The Employee's Counter-Move:

• Manager: “Why is this project delayed? You’re way behind the deadline.”
• Employee (raising the bird): “Actually, I was thinking we should revisit the team’s work-from-home policy. It’s really affecting productivity…”

By focusing on the broader issue of company policies, the employee buys some time to deal with the project delay, and the manager is left distracted by HR talk.

Pro Tip for Employees:

Always follow up. Don’t let the “bird” trick become a routine tool to sidestep important issues.

4. When The Distraction Becomes The Norm ??

The more this trick is used, the more it becomes an unspoken part of the company culture. People stop addressing real issues, and instead, everyone’s pointing at birds. Deadlines are missed, projects are delayed, and no one’s talking about the elephant in the room because they’re too busy staring at imaginary birds.

In Project Meetings:

• Client: “This is the third delay. Why aren’t we seeing progress?”
• Project Manager: “We’ve improved our internal workflow and streamlined communication.”

Clients don’t care about your workflow; they care about their deadlines. But the focus has shifted, and the client is now trying to decode your company’s new “workflow system” instead of getting their deliverables.

5. Spotting the Bird Before It Takes Off ??

So, how do you avoid getting caught in these distractions?

• Stay Focused on the Issue: When you feel the conversation drifting, steer it back. “The new feature is exciting, but let’s finalize the report we were discussing.”
• Acknowledge, Then Refocus: If someone brings up a secondary topic, acknowledge it briefly, then pivot back to the primary issue. “Great idea on the work-from-home policy. But first, let’s tackle the current project deadline.”
• Call Out the Bird: If the distraction becomes too obvious, call it out with humor. “I see the bird flying, but can we land on the main issue here?”

Conclusion: Don’t Get Fooled by the Bird ??

The “Look at the Bird” trick is as old as time, and in the corporate world, it’s a favorite tool for dodging uncomfortable conversations. Whether you’re a client, manager, or employee, we’ve all been guilty of using it. The key to success? Recognizing the bird for what it is—a distraction—and staying laser-focused on what truly matters.

Next time you’re in a meeting and someone says, “Look at this new feature we’ve added,” ask yourself: What are they really trying to avoid?