One of my favorite websites is Stumble Upon. It searches the internet for sites that it thinks I would enjoy. This weekend I "stumbled upon" a psychology article about the power of the pause. The bottom line was that if we pause before we speak, we will improve our clarity of communication by over 50%. I totally agree!
Can you imagine how many arguments you could avoid if you would just count to three before you spoke? What does the pause do? It filters, it clarifies and it prepares you. The benefits are worth it!
- It gives the other person time to perhaps finish their own thought.
- It gives you space to think "What is the other person really thinking?"
- It may give you enough time to say, "I don't need to respond."
All excellent listeners have mastered the art of the pause. Pause and think about this. It may strengthen your marriage. It may help with your boss. It may aid you in an interview. It may protect you from a fall.
Proverbs 29:20 - "Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him."
Proverbs 18:13 - "He who answers before listening--that is his folly and his shame."
I wish I would have paused the other day!!! Great advise!
Posted by: Joelcalderone | June 03, 2011 at 11:50 AM