You Don't Say Too Much Stupid Stuff. You Can Speak Up a Bit Now!

"You don't say too much stupid stuff. You can speak up a bit now".

This is what a retired Delta Force operator said to me after nearly 9 months of not only working with him but living with him.

Deep situational and self-awareness is a skill.

A skill I needed to master very quickly as a civilian working with the Special Forces.

But I didn't just work with SF guys, I lived with retired US SF dudes who were tough as woodpecker lips, damn right cold and uncompromising.

Talk about baptism of 🔥.

In all honesty.

I didn't know what the hell to do in the early days, but I did know these things
😳 I was not of their world. I needed to learn.
😳 I was to be given my respect, trust and voice. None were mine by right in this world.
😳 13 years coaching in pro sport meant jack 💩 to these guys.
😳 My confidence in myself and my ability would pass as arrogance and ego. Then I'm done.
😳 I probably only had one shot.

So this is what I did.

✅ Used my 2 👂👂 and 1 🗣️ in the correct ratio.
✅ Let me work do the talking.

On reflection I was over conservative, but no one really got in trouble from listening too much.

Understanding what you do and do not know is a skill we tend to get wrong a lot.

This is what I call deep situational and self awareness.

Take in the situation before you dive. Watch, listen, learn and ask the right questions of the right people.

I have 100 stories of when I got this wrong, so I wanted to share a success story for a change (for me). 

When have you got this very right, or very wrong in the past?