Power Play: Keep your mouth shut

There’s an old Spanish proverb: “Don’t speak unless you can improve upon the silence.” The most important skill you can ever learn is to keep your mouth shut.

Most people in business are afraid of the silence. Make your peace with it. Get used to saying nothing. Use silence to make the other guy speak. Not sure which way the wind is blowing? Don’t speak until you find out.

If you have nothing to say, say nothing. Shake hands with uncomfortable silence. If it doesn’t make you feel like squirming in your own juices, then you win.

Silence can make you own a room. Silence can give you all the power. It ain’t over until the fat lady keeps her mouth shut and makes the other guy sing.