Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances.
Proverbs 25:11
Do you know how to read a moment? Timing is critical to success in every circumstance of life. If a stockbroker buys the right stock at the wrong time, they experience loss. If we go through a traffic light when it is red, we’ve advanced toward our destination but at the wrong time, and an accident might occur. Wisdom is the application of facts at the “right time.” It is not enough to know what to do; you must know “when” to do it.
TIMING is a sixth sense issue. We live at the intersection of decision every day when speaking with a teacher, client, supervisor, and others in conversation. Our sense of timing leads to success or failure. If you’ve ever wished you would have said something when the time to say it had passed, you know what good vs. bad timing is. In my book PERSUADE, “The Law of the Sixth Sense” goes into detail on how to read and lead a conversation by recognizing good and bad timing. Consider the importance of timing in a profession where there is an instant reward or consequence for how we handle people’s emotions, desires, and thought processes when considering a purchase:
- Saying the right words at the wrong time = FEAR
- Saying the wrong words at the right time = HESITATION
- Saying the wrong words at the wrong time = STALL THE
CONVERSATION
- Saying the right words at the right time = ADVANCE THE CONVERSATION
REFLECT TO CONNECT
- Can you think of an example of when you said the right thing at the wrong time with a coworker, friend, or supervisor?
- Who in your circle of influence has a sense of good timing for saying the right thing at the right time?
- What steps could you take to improve your timing during conversation?
Good timing requires one to read, lead, and learn in the moment.
