“So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth”

New investors are exciting because they bring fresh thoughts and ideas to a business.  But, they also bring naive and inexperienced views to a business that they haven’t been in the trenches with long enough to begin making declarations.  The smart capital investors will take their time to listen, learn and then begin to express their thoughts/points of view. I have always encouraged anyone who is new into a situation to be sure for a good period of time to end every sentence with a question mark.  Anything other than that, even if it is a soft suggestion that ends in a period, will be heard as an exclamation point and cause the people who are taking the input to say things to themselves like; “What does she know?”, or “He hasn’t been here long enough to understand our business”, or “Who does he think he is?”.  These can all be avoided with intelligent and thought-provoking questions, such as, “Have we ever thought about this differently?”.  Simple to do, hard to stay to disciplined to do.  But, if we want our best ideas to be listened to and heard, we need to be sure that we have earned our place to provide that input.  Earning is different than purchasing the right, and that is where many new investors get tangled.  It’s a good thing to remember that no place in the terms or purchase agreement did it say that the investment provides the ability to have all ideas listened to and implemented.

We must also check ourselves in how we present our own ideas to others.  The same value of listening and learning before we speak can make a difference in our relationship with co-workers, bosses, customers, etc.  I have thought that part of the reason that Jesus taught in parables was because He wanted our minds to be reasoning and thinking while we listen/read His words.  He could have been really prescriptive in His directions but He chose another method, which gave Him so much credibility with so many because those on the receiving end could see and hear themselves in His words.  We should take that model to heart and think about what our words are expressing about who we are, and more importantly, what others are seeing as a reflection from us.  Let’s strive today for that reflection to be the face, mind and ideas of Christ.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 3:7