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 *

222,439 thoughts on “How to Pet a Porcupine”

  3. Белорусская компания «РазВикТрейд» предлагает полный цикл производства пресс-форм и литья пластиковых изделий для бизнеса из России и Беларуси. Завод с 10-летней практикой реализует задачи различной сложности: от разработки 3D-проекта до старта массового выпуска. Подробнее о возможностях и кейсах компании можно узнать на https://press-forma.by/ – здесь представлены примеры работ, каталог готовой тары и условия сотрудничества. Клиенты получают гарантию соблюдения сроков, экономическую оптимизацию проекта и выгоду в 2-3 раза выше по сравнению с китайским производством.

    Reply

  10. Мы не ограничиваемся капельницей. Сервис включает организационные, клинические и поведенческие элементы, которые уменьшают хаос и ускоряют восстановление. Ниже — ключевые блоки, которые пациенты отмечают в отзывах как наиболее полезные и «приземлённые».
    Ознакомиться с деталями – запой нарколог на дом в самаре

    Reply

  22. This is the perfect blog for everyone who would like to understand this topic. You realize a whole lot its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a new spin on a subject which has been written about for many years. Excellent stuff, just wonderful!

    juegos 2018

    Reply

  23. В городе и пригороде организован круглосуточный приём с возможностью выезда на дом. Координатор уточняет только клинически значимые данные: регулярные препараты и дозировки, аллергии, недавние эпизоды судорог/психозов, доступ к розетке, возможность обеспечить «тихое окно» на 2–3 часа. Если в квартире многолюдно или идёт ремонт, предложим «тихий» стационар с отдельным входом и тем же ведущим врачом; после стабилизации зеркально перенесём маршрут обратно домой, чтобы не терять темп и доверие.
    Детальнее – анонимная наркологическая клиника

    Reply

  24. Вывод из запоя в клинике в Санкт-Петербурге осуществляется под круглосуточным медицинским контролем с применением современных методов инфузионной терапии, препаратов для восстановления обменных процессов и купирования синдрома отмены. Главной задачей врачей является восстановление баланса между физическим и психическим состоянием, предотвращение осложнений и стабилизация основных жизненных функций.
    Изучить вопрос глубже – вывод наркологическая клиника в санкт-петербурге

    Reply

  40. Please let me know if you’re looking for a writer for your weblog. You have some really great articles and I feel I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d really like to write some articles for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please shoot me an e-mail if interested. Thank you!

    friv 2020

    Reply

  48. Hey! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate your content. Please let me know. Thank you

    juegos fry

    Reply