Power Play: Stop talking before you reach for the trap door

Power Players have two things going on in their heads when they are talking. They know what they have to say and when they’ve said enough.

Most of us start looking for the trap door through which to fall at the exact moment we’ve made a verbal boo-boo.

It’s much easier to say a little less than to spend the next month of your life apologising for some boneheaded remark. Of all the Power Plays, this is perhaps THE hardest one to do.

Most of us love to hear ourselves talk and most of us usually over-talk. If you can train yourself to be economical with language, then you’ll be way ahead in the verbal gaffe stakes.

And it’s almost always impossible to un-ring a bell or un-say something stupid or hurtful. Save yourself the pain and humiliation by slowing down before you open up your big mouth.