“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” — James 1:19 (NIV)
I recently read this verse during my weekly Bible study. It really struck a chord with me, both as a Christian and as a Traffic Manager.
When I look back on my career, and the thousands of projects I’ve moved through various agencies, I wonder how my communication style positively (or negatively) affected their workflow. Was I quick to tell the Account Executive what could or couldn’t happen and when? Or, did I fully listen to the circumstances surrounding the project and take them into consideration when assigning due dates? I was slow to listen, but quick to speak.
When I spoke with the Art Director regarding his workload for the week, did I hear what he said about going to his daughter’s parent-teacher conference or did I tell him the layout had to be done anyway? I was slow to listen, but quick to become angry when he told me he’d be out of the office.
The key to being a successful Traffic Manager (and, in my opinion, a kind and self-less person) is to be quick to listen… slow to speak… and slow to become angry.
How do you communicate with your agency team?