#003 – Matters in Suspense
Keep matters for a time in suspense. Admiration at their novelty heightens the value of your achievements, It is both useless and insipid to play with the cards on the table. If you do not declare yourself immediately, you arouse expectation, especially when the importance of your position makes you the object of general attention. Mix a little mystery with everything, and the very mystery arouses veneration. And when you explain, be not too explicit, just as you do not expose your inmost thoughts in ordinary intercourse. Cautious silence is the holy of holies of worldly wisdom. A resolution declared is never highly thought of; it only leaves room for criticism. And if it happens to fail, you are doubly unfortunate. Besides, you imitate the Divine way when you cause men to wonder and watch.
This is one of my personal favorites on the 300 points. Being open and transparent is very beneficial and required on many fronts of the coaching profession. That being said, holding decisions and announcements helps build suspense and refocuses the attention to the matter at hand. Balthasar also states on this point “cautious silence is the sacred sanctuary of worldly wisdom”. It is ok to play some things close to the chest and not announce them. Let your teams or players work hard to solve the mystery, don’t just give them the answers.
This blog series is based on the book “The Art of Worldly Wisdom” by Balthasar Gracián. This book was written for advice on how to achieve personal and professional success. The goal of this blog series is to visit the points of wisdom and put them in the spotlight of the coaching and education lens.
