On a daily basis I receive a number of quotes and ideas expressed by various people. Some get pushed into the cyber trash can, but others leave a lasting impression. One of today’s quotes was worth sharing and remembering.

Lori Deschene said, ”Practice the pause. Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you’re about to react harshly and you’ll avoid doing and saying things you’ll later regret.”

Regardless of her religious preferences, Deschene’s thought is powerful. How often do we fail to think before we speak, only to wish later we could take back our words? If only we would pause first and consider the consequence, our choice or words might be different.

From a leadership perspective, learning to practice the pause makes all the difference. The 10-10-10 Principle, as written by Suzy Welch, accompanies the practice of the pause. When we stop to think and gather all the information possible before speaking or deciding, we can see more clearly the best direction for both. The result leads to better decisions, which strengthens credibility in our leadership.