Have you ever heard of people who consume poison and then want others to die? Have you ever arrived at customs and met a police officer who was spitting fire like a grumpy dragon? How many times have you had to stand in a long line waiting in fear to be served by a character who must have suffered something unpleasant and is determined to make everyone feel pain by delaying actions, arguing with people, and making unnecessary demands? In other words, something happened to that person, and they take it out on others.
We always know that something is bound to happen to us with these types of characters. We stand before them with the same kind of fear we used to feel when we were seven years old and knew that our mother was about to scold us for having done something wrong. In those moments, people remember to ask a higher power for help and beg for a miracle to come out unscathed.
The same happens when the boss arrives in a bad mood or when one comes home to an ill-tempered partner. Another instance is when a teacher delivers the class after an altercation with their wife or child (there will be an exam for sure, and it will be so difficult that everyone will receive a bad grade).
What do we do? During tough times, we can only pray, seek distance, keep quiet, or hide. If we were going to ask or propose something, it is better to do so another time when the tide is out or when the person is in a good mood.
Life is full of all kinds of moments. You have to know when it is and when it is not convenient to execute a task, request, or movement. A friend always waited for someone to enter the boss’s office with good news (the boss was very ill-tempered). Once he saw that the boss was happy, he would enter their office to make any request, and of course, the boss would approve it.
It is in times like these when one understands there are battles in which it is better to let the other win or those that we should not get involved in or should let pass. There are games in which the best decision we can make is to postpone or not even play. Sometimes, the best decision is to do nothing. Stay in first base, as they say; do not move.
Doing nothing—not playing, not answering, or not replying—is a strategy that many forget can be used, and it is a brilliant exit, most of the time. One can accept or reject challenges and competitions. In a worst-case scenario, it is better to have a minute of shame or apparent weakness or excessive inactivity than to get caught up in a fight, lose your life, or generate a conflict that affects many.
Companies and people must make decisions regarding what they do or do not comment on through the different means of communication that exist today. In this sense, we must remember that we are not required to provide an answer on every occasion, just as we are not required to answer immediately.
Delaying a response to produce something of good quality is a legal matter, and it is a right that we all have. Unfortunately, many people forget and answer immediately. If someone asks for something, we can answer only to the part that is convenient to us, not answer at all, or provide numerous details that are not even part of the question. What position would you adopt? Depending on the situation or the moment, one of the three is convenient. The important thing is to know that we have every option and do not necessarily have to answer immediately.
A friend taught me a phrase in the Bible, specifically in the New Testament, that wisely depicts what I have described above. I want to give it to you because this reflection is useful in business, companies, and our personal lives when it comes to taking action. I never thought I would find a recommendation applicable to business or strategy in the Bible.
“Behold, I send you out as sheep amidst wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”