In the present state of business, there is an increasing demand for things to happen all the time, and for business and people to react immediately, without hesitation. The advancement of technology, combined with a more informed consumer means that businesses feel more compelled than ever to respond to issues at once to “take control of the narrative”.
Of course, sometimes there are issues which should, and indeed, must be dealt with immediately.
Issues that put the safety of people at risk, or would critically undermine the financial integrity of the company, should be dealt in the most expedient and prudent manner possible. This just makes good business sense. The problem is that many businesses and individuals now have their entire mindset geared towards an “always on” mentality, where everything needs to be done by “close of businesses today” and that a minute delayed is a minute wasted.
It might sound productive, but such thinking can have detrimental effects on the long-term health of businesses and – more importantly – people. Silence, as Ari Gold from the HBO show Entourage once put it, is “fucking golden”. Whilst he was certainly saying it for comedic effect, there is an element of truth behind this statement as well.
Silence is a commodity which is greatly undervalued by businesses and people today.
In a time in which we are constantly hit with a bombardment of messaging and opportunity to respond, moments of silence allow us to take a moment to stop. It is almost meditative in its quality. By allowing time to exist in silence, without the burden to respond, we allow our mind to digest what we have heard, contrast it against what we know and believe, before responding accordingly.
Sometimes these moments of silence are useful to business, as instead of “controlling the optics”, taking a moment to stop and think clearly allows for a more robust and effective response. It is the same for the internal machinations of a business. By ensuring that employees have the moments to be silent and think about what is going on and what they have to do, often more nuanced decisions can be made.
It goes beyond the practical benefits of business.
You have a duty of care to your people to ensure that they are in sound physical and mental health. Making sure that they feel empowered to take moments to stop and exist in silence, will prevent burnout and overwork.
Do not feel like silence is meant to be rewarded with some material gain or tangible reward. No, the beauty of silence is that, in a 24 hour world, its very presence is a reward all by itself.
