The Power of the Pause…

The pulpit, be it on a mobile device, in front of a microphone or talking to friends and family is such a powerful position. You have the ability, large or small to speak and drive everything from public opinion to what your family is eating for dinner. However, do we use it correctly?

In our class every semester we talk about having the hammer, and how you can swing that hammer of influence for positive or damaging effects. A big part of having the hammer, or the pulpit, is the responsibility to use it, or not use it, wisely.

We do a really easy exercise, where we ask someone to stand up and ask them a few questions and then ask…who is in control?

Very often people say it’s the person with the microphone, but the reality is it’s the person on the other side, because your silence or your ability to say what you want to say, gives you the ability to proactively drive a narrative.

We raise this for a number of reasons, ranging from coach speak that comes in various fits and starts, to people in general positions of power whose words as much as their actions, influence vast sizes of audiences. While we concentrate often on the words and their immediacy, how often are those speaking actually thinking about the value of the pause, an art which sometimes we lose in the back and forth where we feel we have a need to speak right now without thinking through.

We like to ask, whether to others or to even ourselves three simple questions before a post, or a response…questions that can even be thought  through BEFORE an answer is needed.

Do I have to say it?

Does this need to be said?

Does it have to be said now?

I often think back to one of the first issues NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had to deal with, the potential removal of Donald Sterling as the owner of the LA Clippers. While public opion raged back and forth, and everyone from the media to Clippers players demanded an action or a response, Silver stepped to the microphone and calmly said the league would collect information, LISTEN to all the back and forth, talk amongst stakeholders and then make a decision.

It lasted almost two days, and despite the outer noise, the inner voice was able to collect, assess, have meaningful dialogue and then speak at the right time that was chosen with the result being to remove Sterling as owner.

It wasn’t a rush, it wasn’t emotional, it wasn’t reactive, it was smart, all encompassing and thoughtful.

Oh, and he got it right.

Today we have even more tools to measure things like share of voice and emotional response in real time. Those tools help us determine of a forest is on fire or is it just a tree. They also give us the ability to listen, speak to stakeholders and react. Sometimes its in minutes, sometimes it takes a few days, but it all helps to avoid missteps, backsteps and a whole lot of collateral damage.

In the meantime, we advise our students…

Use a holding statement to gather the information, talk to the right people.

LISTEN to public opinion, and then speak as one.

There is often a rush to react, but a calming moment can save lots and lots of headaches.

And if the news is POTENTIALLY not true or we don’t have all the facts, why aren’t you pausing?

The need to be first is not always the best.

In ’26 we probably could use a little more pausing and listening in every area of leadership. It will save time, energy, missteps, and will really show who should be in charge of the smallest and biggest decisions we have.