# “What type of chairman are you?”

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-what-type-of-chairman
- Themes: mistakes, humour
- Life situations: embarrassing mishap, meetings

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

At a Buddhist Society committee meeting an old chair collapses under a committee member; Ajahn Brahm quips, “What type of chairman are you? He broke the chair instead of taking the chair.”

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

because we were having a committee meeting a couple of years ago and he was sitting on one of these old chairs of the Buddhist society. I shouldn't really say this because occupational health and safety will probably fine us. He was sitting on one of the chairs and it collapsed. I said “what type of chair man are you?” He broke the chair instead of taking the chair.

## Teaching point

Celebrate mistakes and mishaps; they make meetings memorable.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

An old chair gave way mid-meeting, and instead of an awkward silence the committee got a pun about the chairman who broke the chair. Small mishaps can embarrass us or become the bit everyone remembers fondly. If something collapses at your next meeting, check that everyone's fine, then let yourselves laugh.

## Source

- [How To Not Have Any Stress | Ajahn Brahm | 12 May 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJSxDv4XrY4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 36:27 to 36:55: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJSxDv4XrY4&t=2187s