Waiting
The following was written by Dan Mulhern, the First Gentleman of Michigan. To read all of his columns in his publication called Read to Lead, go to this website: http://www.michigan.gov/firstgentleman/0,1607,7-178-24402_24777---,00.html
For in the culture that envelopes all of us with its tempo of haste, it’s worth thinking about waiting. In the season of hitting year end goals AND decorating the house, buying gifts, making cookies, etc., waiting is about the last thing we’re inclined to do. Heck, Stephen Covey’s first habit isn’t “wait;” it’s “be proactive.” If leadership is about anything it’s about jumping in. But despite all that pressure and haste, maybe leadership could stand to wait:
To wait until someone has finished their sentence, instead of practicing the Fox News victory-through-multiple-and-loud-interruptions approach to dialogue.
To wait to check email, voicemail, and phone messages, when there is a live person who is seeking your attention (even if it’s not a high-ranking official, but “just” a child, an intern, or a clerk).
To wait before jumping down someone’s throat, long enough to ask yourself, “is this what’s really got me so mad right now?” (especially if that throat belongs to a child or someone else lacking in defenses); or
To wait while an issue ripens, while people (your kids or staff or board or partners) understand it and appreciate its significance; to wait while they see its urgency and its complexity, so that . . . . . . . when you do act . . . . . the action has been developed well and the solutions have significant support. (Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky describe this marvelously in a chapter they call “Give the Work Back” in their book Leadership on the Line).
To wait that last 30 seconds at the end of a tough meeting (for whatever might need to be expressed); or that last 30 seconds in the car with your kids while a good song is ending; or another minute with your spouse before you clear the table. Because sometimes something good comes that wasn’t on the agenda, wasn’t on the road map, and wasn’t even on your radar screen. Sometimes, God appears in those moments – as a shot of truth, a moment of peace, or the awareness of growth.
Okay, hadn’t we better be getting back to work?
For in the culture that envelopes all of us with its tempo of haste, it’s worth thinking about waiting. In the season of hitting year end goals AND decorating the house, buying gifts, making cookies, etc., waiting is about the last thing we’re inclined to do. Heck, Stephen Covey’s first habit isn’t “wait;” it’s “be proactive.” If leadership is about anything it’s about jumping in. But despite all that pressure and haste, maybe leadership could stand to wait:
To wait until someone has finished their sentence, instead of practicing the Fox News victory-through-multiple-and-loud-interruptions approach to dialogue.
To wait to check email, voicemail, and phone messages, when there is a live person who is seeking your attention (even if it’s not a high-ranking official, but “just” a child, an intern, or a clerk).
To wait before jumping down someone’s throat, long enough to ask yourself, “is this what’s really got me so mad right now?” (especially if that throat belongs to a child or someone else lacking in defenses); or
To wait while an issue ripens, while people (your kids or staff or board or partners) understand it and appreciate its significance; to wait while they see its urgency and its complexity, so that . . . . . . . when you do act . . . . . the action has been developed well and the solutions have significant support. (Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky describe this marvelously in a chapter they call “Give the Work Back” in their book Leadership on the Line).
To wait that last 30 seconds at the end of a tough meeting (for whatever might need to be expressed); or that last 30 seconds in the car with your kids while a good song is ending; or another minute with your spouse before you clear the table. Because sometimes something good comes that wasn’t on the agenda, wasn’t on the road map, and wasn’t even on your radar screen. Sometimes, God appears in those moments – as a shot of truth, a moment of peace, or the awareness of growth.
Okay, hadn’t we better be getting back to work?
posted by Margaret Holt | 6:31 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home