Last fortnight has been very eventful for me. On February 16, i was diagnosed with a teachers' nodule on my vocal cord. I was operated for the same on Feb 20, and then was prescribed total vocal rest for 8 days. I could speak again in the evening yesterday, on 1st March. During these 8 days, i was working regularly at my office. I saw people also, with the only difference being that i was communicating in written mode only. I used to carry a card in my pocket with the following message :
" Hello!
I am taking medical treatment.
Voice rest. Can't talk.
But I can listen.
And I can reply in writing."
It was very interesting experience. Very humorous as well as tense situations developed in the process. But that is not the subject matter of this particular post. In this post, i want to discuss my thought process during this vocal rest.
A lot of ideas kept on coming in the meantime. Many of those thoughts deserved a separate blog post. But what kept me waiting for the right moment was the fact that many thoughts changed during this period, many ideas matured and thus the situation was very fluid.
Let me share with you now, some of the lessons of the silent period :
1. People pay more attention to you when you don't speak. They somehow treat you with more honour. Your statements ( written, of course!) carry more value.
2. There is a copycat in many of us. Many people proceeded to write their queries when they saw me writing. In fact, i had to remind many of them (by writing, of course) that they can very well speak and i can very well listen too!
3. When someone asks a question and you reply in writing, more often that not, while writing the answer, you tend to change the same. It so happens that you keep on observing the situation and hence you modify the earlier thought answer.
4. Silence is a great energy saver. I could never realize how much energy we consume by speaking. I never felt tired or exhausted during the period of silence, in spite of the fact that the food i was taking for the first seven days consisted of Dalia or Khichadi only!
5. It is impossible to pick up a fight with anyone while you do not speak.
6. Every book on Human Relations talks about the importance of observing others at the time of any discussion or interaction. I had always carried the misconception that i can do the same very effectively. But this silence made me realize that while you speak you miss out a very large portion of observable facts and hints. You must be silent to be able to observe effectively.
7. At last the most important learning. It is not necessary to speak at all in many situations. When you cannot speak, you realize that, more often than not, it is not only possible but convenient and beneficial too, not to speak!
It's time to shut up!
" Hello!
I am taking medical treatment.
Voice rest. Can't talk.
But I can listen.
And I can reply in writing."
It was very interesting experience. Very humorous as well as tense situations developed in the process. But that is not the subject matter of this particular post. In this post, i want to discuss my thought process during this vocal rest.
A lot of ideas kept on coming in the meantime. Many of those thoughts deserved a separate blog post. But what kept me waiting for the right moment was the fact that many thoughts changed during this period, many ideas matured and thus the situation was very fluid.
Let me share with you now, some of the lessons of the silent period :
1. People pay more attention to you when you don't speak. They somehow treat you with more honour. Your statements ( written, of course!) carry more value.
2. There is a copycat in many of us. Many people proceeded to write their queries when they saw me writing. In fact, i had to remind many of them (by writing, of course) that they can very well speak and i can very well listen too!
3. When someone asks a question and you reply in writing, more often that not, while writing the answer, you tend to change the same. It so happens that you keep on observing the situation and hence you modify the earlier thought answer.
4. Silence is a great energy saver. I could never realize how much energy we consume by speaking. I never felt tired or exhausted during the period of silence, in spite of the fact that the food i was taking for the first seven days consisted of Dalia or Khichadi only!
5. It is impossible to pick up a fight with anyone while you do not speak.
6. Every book on Human Relations talks about the importance of observing others at the time of any discussion or interaction. I had always carried the misconception that i can do the same very effectively. But this silence made me realize that while you speak you miss out a very large portion of observable facts and hints. You must be silent to be able to observe effectively.
7. At last the most important learning. It is not necessary to speak at all in many situations. When you cannot speak, you realize that, more often than not, it is not only possible but convenient and beneficial too, not to speak!
It's time to shut up!
