Sniffing With Your Wisdom Nose

A friend remarks to the prophet, “Why is it
I get screwed in business deals?
It’s like a spell. I become distracted
by business talk and make wrong decisions.

Muhammad replies, “Stipulate with every transaction
that you need three days to make sure.

Deliberation is one of the qualities of God.
Throw a dog a bit of something.
He sniffs to see if he wants it.

Be that careful.
Sniff with your wisdom nose.
Get clear. Then decide.

The above passage is an excerpt from a longer poem by the 13th century Sufi mystic Jalaluddin Rumi that poet Coleman Barks brought to life in the Bill Moyer’s PBS series The Language of Life. Here are some thoughts for you to consider.

Our culture values decisiveness in our leaders. However, I think that there is a balance needed between acting too impulsively and succumbing to analysis paralysis and delaying a decision way too long. If we take this sage advice literally, it is suggesting simply to use three days to get clear and then decide. Certainly there are decisions that need to be made immediately because of the uncertainty and complexity of the world in which we live. However, three days , seventy-two hours , is a blip in time in the lifecycle of organizational life. Taking the time to deliberate may open the possibility of clarity in the situation that can lead to a course of action that builds commitment on the part of everyone who needs to implement the decision.

One more thing about deliberation. The simple act of deliberating slows us down and again can open the possibility of seeing a situation in a new way or even calming our racing minds so that we can actually make a better decision , or live more in tune with others. I live in an area of Albuquerque called the North Valley. It is a wonderful bucolic setting in the center of the city populated by groves of cottonwoods. It has small horse and live stock farms, vegetable fields that local growers tend, and a wonderful system of trails that border the irrigation ditches that bring water from the Rio Grande to these small farms and vineyards. Rio Grande Boulevard meanders from the northern border of the North Valley all the way to downtown. It is a peaceful drive that also provides a breathtaking view of the Sandia Mountains that border Albuquerque on the east. A neighbor of mine takes Rio Grande Boulevard to work each day rather than using a more speedy route. Why? Because it affords the opportunity to slow down, to be more deliberate about the day. How much longer does this commute take? Five minutes. So it seems to me the benefit of deliberation more than outweighs its cost. Do you agree?