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 1win_dwKn Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.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

243,755 thoughts on “How to Pet a Porcupine”

  3. По ссылке https://dtf.ru/ask/3936354-kak-izbezhat-p2p-treugolnika вы отыщете важную и полезную информацию, касающуюся того, как обойти P2P-треугольник. Перед вами самое полное, исчерпывающее руководство, которое прольет свет на многие вопросы. P2P-арбитраж примечателен тем, что позволяет существенно заработать на разнице криптовалют. Но иногда попадают в мошенническую схему. И тогда вы не только потеряете финансы, но и есть вероятность того, что карту заблокируют. Из статьи вы узнаете о том, что представляет собой P2P-треугольник, как работает. Ознакомитесь и с пошаговой механикой такой схемы.

    Reply

  6. Excellent post. I was checking constantly this weblog and I am inspired! Very helpful info specifically the last phase 🙂 I maintain such information a lot. I was seeking this certain info for a very lengthy time. Thank you and best of luck.

    Reply

  10. Абстинентный синдром развивается после прекращения приёма наркотических веществ или алкоголя, и сопровождается комплексом тяжёлых симптомов:
    Выяснить больше – снятие ломки цена

    Reply

  13. Мы https://avtosteklavoronezh.ru/ предлагаем широкий спектр услуг для автовладельцев — от покупки новых автомобилей до удобного обмена и быстрого выкупа вашего старого автомобиля. Наша команда профессионалов гарантирует честную оценку, оперативное снятие с учета и быстрое получение расчета прямо на месте всего за 10–20 минут!

    Reply

  16. Все самое важное и интересное за прошедшую неделю. Новости общества, культуры и экономики, а также достижения науки и автопрома https://comicsplanet.ru/

    Reply

  30. Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it’s really informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future. Many people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

    Reply

  36. Its like you learn my mind! You appear to understand a lot about this, such as you wrote the e-book in it or something. I think that you just could do with a few percent to force the message house a bit, but other than that, this is magnificent blog. A fantastic read. I’ll definitely be back.

    Reply

  49. Thanks for your marvelous posting! I genuinely enjoyed reading it,
    you can be a great author. I will ensure that I bookmark your blog and may come back someday.
    I want to encourage continue your great job, have a nice
    evening!

    Reply