ABSTRACT
The fi rst time Sonja hosted a barbecue for her parents and extended family, her mother came early to assist with meal preparations. As they prepared chicken and fresh road-side-stand corn-on-the-cob for the grill, her mom asked for the tongs. She had one pair and shared. Her mom was quietly frustrated that Sonja would use the same instrument for vegetables and chicken, and when it was time for tossing salad, the serving spoon and fork again came up short. Where were the salad tongs? After the meal it was time to clean up, and washing dishes was a family event. When asked for the drying towels, Sonja offered the terry kitchen towels in the drawer. A few months later, Sonja’s birthday present included eight different pairs of tongs of varying sizes and materials as well as fl our sack tea towels (which are the best for drying dishes). Prominent American psychologist Abraham Maslow, well-remembered for his hierarchy of needs, is also credited with having stated in his book The Psychology of Science: “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Having the right tools for the job is essential whether you are in the kitchen, the garage, the sporting fi eld, or leading population health improvement.
