Speak Too Much, Too Soon
I finally kick-started a new improvement project in my company. The project will serve to improve the current processes in my company and to complete my Lean Six Sigma certification. The project calls on process owners such as managers, team leaders, supervisors and etc. They are all experts in their own areas: they know how things can be made simpler and easier.
One of the deadliest mistake in the early stage of an improvement project as such, is to immediately rush into implementing solutions without properly understanding the real underlying problem. As experts of their respective areas, the team is often tempted to quickly throw out solutions they think would make their work easier. It is not long before all the meeting quickly escalated into a heated discussion where everyone is trying to make their opinions heard.
Each one of us is too quick to speak, yet unwilling to listen to what others have to say. As a project coordinator (particularly younger than ALL of them), I struggle both to remind myself not to be dragged into the trap, and to constantly lead the team's focus back to understanding the processes.
Very often, we are tempted to speak quicker than we listen. We want our voices to be hear and our opinions appreciated, yet at the same time, we are unwilling to listen. When we are quick to speak, slow to listen, we are prone to make mistakes.
The author of James warns us to be careful not to make such mistake:
Therefore, let us not to speak too much, too soon. Let us withhold our words, listen and understand. More importantly, let us forgive, and let us love. In that way, the church will grow to reflect the righteousness of God.
God's Character, My Encounter.
One of the deadliest mistake in the early stage of an improvement project as such, is to immediately rush into implementing solutions without properly understanding the real underlying problem. As experts of their respective areas, the team is often tempted to quickly throw out solutions they think would make their work easier. It is not long before all the meeting quickly escalated into a heated discussion where everyone is trying to make their opinions heard.
Each one of us is too quick to speak, yet unwilling to listen to what others have to say. As a project coordinator (particularly younger than ALL of them), I struggle both to remind myself not to be dragged into the trap, and to constantly lead the team's focus back to understanding the processes.
The author of James warns us to be careful not to make such mistake:
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20A lot of unnecessary conflicts that creates divisions in church are exactly because we are too quick to speak and too slow to listen. As we fights to make our voices heard, we often forget to listen to what others have to say. We forget to give space for our brothers and sisters, and we forget to understand where they are coming from. More importantly, we fail to love. And when we fail to understand, we become angry. "...the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."
Therefore, let us not to speak too much, too soon. Let us withhold our words, listen and understand. More importantly, let us forgive, and let us love. In that way, the church will grow to reflect the righteousness of God.
God's Character, My Encounter.
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