Having been interested in sports for virtually my entire life, I have seen the influence of the number three in those endeavors. Three strikes, three outs, and three-time outs come to mind immediately. But while listening to a speaker while driving my old F150 4×4 along IH 35 on a drizzling December day, another concept of three came into my fuzzy old brain.
This time it was related to the power of influence on other people as a Teacher, Coach, Mentor, Friend….you get the idea.
Step 1: FIND OUT. That means gathering as much information as you can about the topic, situation, or circumstance. Become as well versed as possible. Now to be certain this work at insight, mastery or whatever term seems right to you, connotates the idea that if something is worth your while, it requires some effort. And this might take a considerable amount of time.
STEP 2: SHARE OUT. In the proper setting it is appropriate to offer the information and conclusions you have gained from your efforts and experiences found in Step 1. This may be in a formal setting such as a speech or classroom. It may be during “windshield time” with a friend or mentee. The point is to NOT keep what you learned to yourself but pass it along. Even the Good Book warns about not keeping a Lamp under a Basket!
STEP 3: NOTE: THIS ONE MAY BE THE HARDERST!
ONCE STEPS 1 AND 2 ARE DONE, GET OUT. By this I mean let the person(s) you are sharing with have the freedom to accept/reject/revise whatever has been presented. Not much good comes from “beating a dead horse” or “hounding a person to death” with your opinion on things. In my semi-qualified opinion, failure to adhere to Step 3 may ruin the impact/good the first steps might have accomplished.
Now, to be clear, I am FAR from being Wise or a Genius. The Boss Lady sometimes uses Wise to describe me, but adds another word dealing with Anatomy in her terminology.
But it sure does seem to me keeping all 3 of those Steps in that order might have some merit. What do you think?
The Power of Three Outs
