I've never been much of a Bible quoter, but
a passage in Proverbs came to my attention
yesterday, and it was this: "A man hath joy
by the answer of his mouth; and a word
spoken in due season, how good it is."
I'm not sure of the chapter and verse, but
I certainly understand the drift.
Saying the right words at the right time
can get you that old Jackie Gleason/Ralph
Kramden "How sweet it is!" feeling.
A good friend of mine often refers to what
he calls "Pop Off Mess Up Man."
What he is talking about is people who
engage their mouth before engaging their
brain. In the business arena you are always
running into POMUM. Many of them have
been our boss, or a fellow employee. They
have ready answers before you even get the
thought out of your mouth. Or they have an
opinion before the know half the facts necessary
to make a decision.
I have worked for a couple of folks who, if you
believed them, were smarter and more wise than
Solomon. Their operations were usually a disaster,
with extremely high turnover. One day when I asked
one of them why seven out of every ten hires left within
one calendar year, I was told many things, and none
of the answers was even close to the truth.
The employees left because they didn't want to
work for a guy who belittled their every effort, and
never once gave them any praise, or credit.
This executive was fired a few months later, and
replaced by man who didn't know everything. He
routinely praised performance, and rewarded folks
for a job well done. I don't think I ever heard him
raise his voice.
Employee turnover dropped from 70% to less than
10% in a year. Company sales rose double digits
every year for the next five years. People actually
enjoyed coming to work.
That is the power of wise words.
From the big saddle,
Jim Whelan
P.S. I'm riding my horse to NYC this weekend.
So if you're walking down the street in Manhattan,
and see a tall lanky cowboy in a tuxedo, be sure
and say hello. I may stop for a picture with my long
lost cousin, The Naked Cowboy. I may even buy
him some clothes. But wherever I roam I can always
be reached at 206 407 3124.
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