“Never say the first thing you think. Saying the first thing you think will result in a divorce!”
According to a comedian I heard recently, that’s the secret to a happy marriage.
He continued:
“And never say the second thing you think. That will result in you sleeping on the couch!”
The key to a happy marriage, he said, is to say the third thing you think.
Though it was meant to be funny, there’s a lot of truth to that advice. In the workplace, we have all likely said the first thing we thought, and it didn’t go well.
Maybe saying the first thing we thought resulted in someone quitting.
And saying the second thing we thought resulted in someone else ignoring you or ostracizing you.
I have said it before, and it’s worth considering again – think before you speak! There certainly would be a lot less conflict in our lives if we took this advice and it’s apparent that people aren’t doing much thinking before speaking!
When my older kids became teenagers, they would occasionally ask for permission to do something dumb. When this occurred, I would try to ask them at least three questions. My hope was that by asking questions, it might help them come to a reasonable understanding for my answer. It also allowed me time to diplomatically respond without saying something like “that’s ridiculous!”
We would all benefit from taking a more calculated approach to our communication. We should think, or pause, before we speak.
And remember, sometimes, the very best thing to say is nothing at all.
#Leadershipdevelopment #Thinkbeforeyouspeak #ThePowerofthePause #Pausitivity
