Think Before Speaking
My mother-in-law had a number of phrases or sayings that she would use from time to time with great effect. One in particular that still makes me smile when I think about it, is “It’s better for people to think you are stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
Just think about it. “It’s better for people to think you are stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
How often do many of us say things without first thinking about the consequences of what we want or feel compelled to say. How often do such outbursts have unintended consequences?
This is true whether we are in our place of work, in our homes, or in a social environment. Our mouths often run ahead of our brains – and many of us need to be “diplomatically” reminded of this.
Using a well-known phrase or saying is sometimes the most “diplomatic” way of driving home a point: getting people thinking about the point without them taking offense or becoming defensive.
A well-known phrase or saying is often the easiest way to express a sentiment that might otherwise cause offense. It’s a way of driving home a message: a way of delivering advice that might not always be welcome if delivered directly. It’s a way of suggesting caution or suggesting another approach that might be more appropriate. It often provides a very pithy yet diplomatic way of suggesting a different way of doing things. It can be a way of suggesting that a different path should be taken: a way of suggesting something for the other person to think about: something to really consider.
Thinking-out the implications of what we feel compelled to say before we actually say it, is the mark of a true professional.
