Using The Silence

I love quotes. It is surprising how so much more can be said in a sentence or two than in an entire book. But, of course, it depends on the quote. It also, sometimes, depends on the person delivering the quote and your situation at the time.

One of the more recent quotes I posted on my business Facebook page was one belonging to Abraham Lincoln. The quote reads:
‘I am rather inclined to silence, and whether that be wise or not, it is at least more unusual nowadays to find a man who can hold his tongue than to find one who cannot.’

Now Abe was assassinated in 1865 but that quote is still relevant today, especially in business. In saying that, the quote can be viewed from two angles.

Being inclined to silence, could very well mean taking the time to listen to what is being is said by others not just yourself. That goes hand in hand with holding your tongue. You have to hold your tongue to listen. You won’t be listening while your lips are moving. Importantly, you could be missing out on something you need to hear. By not holding your tongue you may be making statements which result in bad outcomes as you have not heard all that needs to be taken into account.

Being inclined to silence, could also relate to taking the time to quieten your mind, to remove all distractions and let your mind drift. Many years ago, one of my bosses used to sit in his office and stare out the window. A lot of people thought he was sitting there daydreaming, doing nothing. And he did it a lot. In reality, he was thinking about work, what needed to be done, the next steps. It could be called daydreaming but we need to take this time to think about and visualise what and where we want our businesses to be.

Therefore, as a business owner or business leader how are you using the silence and do you know when best to hold your tongue?