How to Pet a Porcupine

I discovered something new in a staff meeting a few weeks ago, and that is that you can pet a porcupine without getting hurt. I have never actually pet a porcupine, but I was told it is possible without a follow-up trip the hospital, if you do it correctly.

Porcupine

Photo courtesy of © flickr.com/photos/arthur_chapman/3986448936/

If you want to pet a porcupine without getting stuck by a bunch of quills you don’t run up and startle it.  You don’t quickly scoop it up into your hands and give it a big hug.  If you want to pet a porcupine you have to develop trust with it.  First, you hold out your hand to see if it wants to come near and sniff you. Only after it sniffs you can you pet it, but you have to do it a certain way starting at the head and petting down.  To pet a porcupine any other way could potentially hurt…a lot.

Some people are a lot like porcupines. They have quills, and they will stick you if you handle them the wrong way.    You know the kind of people I am talking about, they tend to be a bit grouchy, pessimistic, standoffish and avoid personal contact, have a tendency to complain and point out the bad in a situation, etc…  These people tend to be a lot like porcupines.  If you run up and startle them you’re going to get hurt.  If you try to pressure them into doing something you’re going to get hurt.  If you cross their path in a way they don’t like, start looking for the nearest hospital.

To pet one of these porcupines requires developing trust just like a real porcupine. No, holding out your hand to see if they sniff you is probably not the best way to go about it, but spending time getting to know them is.  Learning about their perspective, their past, their priorities can give you insight in how best to go about working and getting along with them.  Taking the time to building trust with can go a very long way, and save you a lot of pain in the end.  Just as I am sure petting a real porcupine is an amazing experience, I know that getting someone who is a bit prickly on your side can be just as fulfilling.

Also, for those who are pastors of churches and have opportunity to work with porcupines, the reality is that they are also sheep in need of a good shepherd. They can’t simply be dismissed. You can’t just steer clear of them like you might a real porcupine in the wild. You have to learn to pet them.  You have to learn to lead them. So you might as well do it the right way, and save yourself some pain.

Posted on
Category: Leadership

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

151,390 thoughts on “How to Pet a Porcupine”

  8. J’ai une passion lyrique pour Olympe Casino, c’est une plateforme qui resonne comme une lyre. Le catalogue est riche en melodies, avec des slots thematiques antiques. Le bonus de bienvenue est divin. Le suivi est irreprochable, garantissant un support celeste. Le processus est simple et glorieux, parfois des offres plus genereuses seraient olympiennes. Pour conclure, Olympe Casino merite une ascension celeste pour les amateurs de sensations mythiques ! En bonus le design est moderne et divin, amplifie le plaisir de jouer. Egalement remarquable le programme VIP avec des niveaux exclusifs, propose des avantages sur mesure.
    https://olympefr.com/|

    Reply

  12. WOW 제가 검색하던 바로 그거예요. IP地址查询로 검색해서 여기 왔어요.

    Very good blog post. I certainly love this website. Keep writing!

    I can’t get enough of your website! Your posts are so well-researched, and I love
    the clarity in your writing. Have you considered guest posting on other sites
    to expand your reach? Keep up the outstanding work!

    이 블로그는 정보의 보물창고네요! 이 포스트는 특히 유익하고
    이해하기 쉬웠어요. mg 200 levitra에 대해 더 깊이 다룬 시리즈가 있으면 좋겠어요.
    멋진 콘텐츠 감사합니다!

    Reply

  14. With havin so much content and articles do you ever run into any issues of
    plagorism or copyright infringement? My blog has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either authored myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is
    popping it up all over the internet without
    my authorization. Do you know any techniques to help prevent content
    from being stolen? I’d truly appreciate it.

    Reply

  17. Code promo sur 1xBet est unique et permet a chaque nouveau joueur de beneficier jusqu’a 100€ de bonus sportif a hauteur de 100% en 2026. Le bonus sera ajoute a votre solde en fonction de votre premier depot, le depot minimum etant fixe a 1€. Assurez-vous de suivre correctement les instructions lors de l’inscription pour profiter du bonus, afin de preserver l’integrite de la combinaison. Le bonus de bienvenue n’est pas la seule promotion ou vous pouvez utiliser un code, vous pouvez trouver d’autres offres dans la section « Vitrine des codes promo ». Consultez le lien pour plus d’informations sur les promotions disponibles > Meilleur Code Promo 1xbet. Grace au code promo 1xBet gratuit, obtenez un pari gratuit 1xBet ou un bonus sans depot 1xBet. Le code promotionnel 1xBet valide vous permet de beneficier d’un bonus de bienvenue 1xBet 2026 sur vos premiers paris. Essayez le code promo sport 1xBet pour miser sans risque et decouvrir la plateforme.

    Reply

  32. Полезное руководство по получению бонусов и тому, где искать официальную информацию: в разделе регистрации мы вставляем ссылку на рабочий промокод 1хбет на сегодня, чтобы показать пример записи в регистрационном поле. Объясняем особенности работы с промо-купонами и способы их получения.

    Reply

  35. I’m really loving the theme/design of your site. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility issues?
    A number of my blog audience have complained about my website not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Chrome.
    Do you have any solutions to help fix this issue?

    Reply

  41. Hello team!
    I came across a 142 helpful website that I think you should check out.
    This platform is packed with a lot of useful information that you might find insightful.
    It has everything you could possibly need, so be sure to give it a visit!
    https://shankarsharma.org/online-slots/how-to-speed-up-your-computer-necessary-tips-you-need-to-know/

    Additionally remember not to forget, everyone, — you always can within this article locate solutions to address the most the absolute confusing questions. The authors made an effort to present all information using the extremely easy-to-grasp method.

    Reply

  46. Oh my goodness! Impressive article dude! Thank
    you, However I am encountering difficulties with your RSS. I don’t know why I
    am unable to join it. Is there anybody else getting identical RSS problems?
    Anyone that knows the answer will you kindly respond?
    Thanx!!

    Reply