Mouth in Motion ...Mind not in gear

Have you ever said something and the moment that you said it you wished that you could rewind the tape? Ugh. I hate it when that happens.  One of the marks of a seasoned leader is to know when to speak and know when to keep silent.  I consider myself a seasoned leader, but there are times when I revert back to putting my mouth in motion before I put my mind in gear.  Yes, there are times when I give a quick reply before the person has a chance to finish their sentence.

Instead of allowing patience to rule, I allowed my impatience to take the microphone. Whew, it happened again yesterday.  I was in a conversation with a incredible group of leaders when a comment was made about a situation that I have long since deleted from my conversation logs. I quickly moved to squelched it.  

As soon as I spoke up, I knew that I had just made a leadership faux paux.  I tried to patch it up, but the damage had been done.  I wanted to rewind the tape, but I could not.

So, what's the take-away?  Well, I will once again work at respecting the comments of other people.  I will allow them to finish their sentences before I speak.  I will pause and allow their words to sink in.  I will try to listen with an open mind so I can gain wisdom from another's experience.  When I am right, I will try not to make people feel that they should not have spoken.  When I am wrong, I will admit it and humbly accept a better way. 

How did the situation turn out? Well, after I realized my mistake, I attempted to build a solution that satisfies both parties.  Hopefully, this compromise will build consensus.  

In restrospect,  I regretted expressing my opinion so quickly, but I still hold to my original thoughts. However, I should have listened and then shared why I see things differently.  Next time, I will think twice before put my mouth in motion.