The meeting agenda was as dry and boring as meetings get. The idea of talking about a paper on operation’s risk appetite came with anticipated yawns. As we began to go through the initial pages, I could see myself struggling to stay awake. The image of nodding off with the team along the lines of a former US president filled me with dread. This was not an auspicious beginning.
On the third page a few minutes in something caught my attention. The two authors were taking a pragmatic business approach that was relevant and timely. As the dialogue picked up so did my energy. Almost two hours later, we got to the end of their presentation energized and excited about the future. The nuances had made the difference. The details were timely, important, and useful.
I cannot say that I look forward to the subject with eagerness. I can say that I have taken several key points and threaded them into the discussions of the days since. The principles and areas of uncertainty are items we should consider. My approach has moved from trying to get rid of a passing headache to that of a believer trying to raise the awareness of others.
I wonder how many other areas of my life need the same approach of patient listening. There is an old warning that taunts me in the background. “Your flip and callous arrogance in these things bothers me. You pass it off as a small thing, but it’s anything but that. Yeast, too, is a ‘small thing,’ but it works its way through a whole batch of bread dough pretty fast. So get rid of this ‘yeast.’” (1 Corinthians 5.6)
You and I are overwhelmed with the trivia and the important. Knowing which is which is rarely easy. At the same time, we can listen to others, working to hear their insights without prejudice. I know that when I pay attention to what Life reminds me is important (versus my priorities) I often find threads of wisdom that change the way I see life.
