Dave Ramsey was talking about employees and how he had built his company when I heard him say…
“Don’t half-butt things.”
I cracked up! Audible laughter in my car by myself cracking up.
Dave is not a user of profanity, but he uses every opportunity he gets to use the PG version of profane phrases.
Half-butt just doesn’t have the same bite to it as half-ass and that is why I love it.
Listen, yelling at people and using profanity may get you what you want in the short term, but it rarely gets you what you want in the long term.
It diminishes the person you’re talking to and the respect they have for you.
I have learned this the hard way and am still learning it the hard now and again.
In order to serve people and get them to be the best them, we need to push them out of their comfort zones and hold them to account but there are better ways to do this than yelling and diminishing.
The more you can soften harsh and critical coaching and advice the better it will be received.
Humor is a great way to do this, thus why I love “half-butt” because to me that word pairing is hilarious!
To have greater impact work to have more bite than bark by delivering what really matters in a way that is optimal for the listener.
Also, as a life rule ala Dave Ramsey, don’t half-butt things.
Brett “More Bite Less Bark” Denton