Expertise or Easy?

I've worked with parrots for many years now. What I do instinctually is subtle. I recently had the chance to test my abilities. I was hired to go to a home where a young adult daughter was housesitting. She "does not handle Oliver." Oliver is a 40+ year old Blue and Gold macaw. I arrived and found that there was also a female BG macaw staying there recently rescued. She had previously been traumitized in an abusive home. So here were two large macaws that I was supposed to get into the shower. Okay.... I brought some props. I had a "distraction device" an orange dog toy ring, which I sometimes hold in one hand while I offer the other hand for a "step up." This often works...not this time...a macaw lunge (very intimidating but out of fear not aggression). Plan B, I brought a stick (perch) for a hopefully stick-trained bird. I added an enticement of holding an almond in one hand and offering the stick behind the big boy while saying "step up." Success! He backed onto the perch and we proceeded to the shower! No fear, no bite, no stress. The things I tried came naturally to me because of my own macaws and knowing their preferences. The daughter learned a lot by watching and I explained what I was doing and the reasoning behind each maneuver.