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 to Eveline Rothfeld Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.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

150,418 thoughts on “How to Pet a Porcupine”

  17. Clarte Nexive
    Clarte Nexive se differencie comme une plateforme d’investissement en crypto-monnaies revolutionnaire, qui exploite la puissance de l’intelligence artificielle pour offrir a ses utilisateurs des avantages concurrentiels decisifs.

    Son IA analyse les marches en temps reel, detecte les occasions interessantes et execute des strategies complexes avec une precision et une vitesse hors de portee des traders humains, augmentant de ce fait les potentiels de profit.

    Reply

  28. Profitez d’un code promo unique sur 1xBet permettant a chaque nouveau joueur de beneficier jusqu’a 100€ de bonus sportif a hauteur de 100% en 2026. Ce bonus est credite sur votre solde de jeu en fonction du montant de votre premier depot, le depot minimum etant fixe a 1€. Pour eviter toute perte de bonus, veillez a copier soigneusement le code depuis la source et a le saisir dans le champ « code promo (si disponible) » lors de l’inscription, afin de preserver l’integrite de la combinaison. D’autres promotions existent en plus du bonus de bienvenue, d’autres combinaisons vous permettant d’obtenir des bonus supplementaires sont disponibles dans la section « Vitrine des codes promo ». Consultez le lien pour plus d’informations sur les promotions disponibles > https://payhip.com/bonusbet/blog/news/code-promo-1xbet-valable-en-2026.

    Reply

  39. J’adore le dynamisme de Betzino Casino, on ressent une ambiance festive. Il y a un eventail de titres captivants, proposant des jeux de table classiques. Il offre un coup de pouce allechant. Disponible 24/7 par chat ou email. Le processus est fluide et intuitif, de temps en temps quelques spins gratuits en plus seraient top. Pour faire court, Betzino Casino est un immanquable pour les amateurs. D’ailleurs la navigation est fluide et facile, incite a prolonger le plaisir. Un point fort les options variees pour les paris sportifs, qui motive les joueurs.
    Apprendre les dГ©tails|

    Reply