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So, there I was, enjoying a hot cup of joe at one of
my favorite coffeehouses, when I found my inspiration for this week's
quotation. Strangely, it happened as I stared at the floor, not into my
steaming mug as you might expect. I rarely find inspiration for good
business-related quotes on floors. But then, rare is the floor that's
decorated like the one at Harry's Cup in Grandview,
MO, a coffee shop thematically
dedicated to U.S. President Harry S. Truman (ahh,
yes, now I see where he's going with this).
You may not have the
luxury of staring out the window and gazing upon a former U.S.
president's farm (as I do, sitting here at Harry's Cup). You may not have
a Truman quote collection imprinted on your floor. But you can spice up
your President's Day week with a few memorable quotations from Harry
Truman. Read on for several of my favorites, starting with . . .
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Never
kick a fresh cow patty on a hot day.
— President
Harry S. Truman
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Themes this quote supports: President's Day,
Diplomacy, Conflict Resolution, Customer Relationship Management,
Patience, Wisdom, Teamwork, Handling Stress, Humor, Forgiveness, and
Communication.
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Key Point
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From this quote, we see how Harry Truman used his early farm life experiences
to prepare him for politics. "It was on the farm that Harry got
his common sense," his mother said. "He
didn't get it in town."
In Truman’s quote, he humorously demonstrates that earthy common sense.
He tells us that, when a serious problem arises (the "cow
patty" in his analogy) that has people emotionally inflamed (the
heat of that "hot day"), it's best to let feelings cool first
before you try to fix relations or the problem itself
("kicking" the cow patty). Truman knew from experience that,
just as cool weather changes the nature of "cow patties,"
emotions change the chemistry of any encounter. He knew that, while the
emotions are running high, resolution is difficult. In short, for
everything, there is a season. And the season for fixing a bad
situation might be after it has had time to cool.
To apply this to business, consider that, while we naturally want to
resolve conflict quickly, backing off may be best when the heat of
emotions is raging through the room. Trying to fix relations right away
could be as messy as kicking "a fresh cow patty on a hot
day." In plain language — also Truman's words — "Intense
feelings too often obscure the truth."
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More
Truman Quotes . . .
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Truman's down-home style of wisdom and common sense gave
birth to some extraordinarily pithy quotes. He made statements that you
may wish to make today. However, doing so in your own words could
easily prove offensive or inflammatory. Why not borrow your gall from
Truman? Here we go:
“I have never seen pessimists
make anything work, or contribute anything of lasting value.”
“It's amazing what you can
accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit.”
You gotta love
that one for its applicability in company life. Or church life. Or
politics. Key point: Selfishly motivated actions won't succeed as well
or as quickly as selfless ones.
“The best results come from the
proper attitude.”
This one
supports the previous quote.
“America was not built on fear. America
was built on courage, on imagination, and unbeatable determination to
do the job at hand.”
Appropriate
today, in our post-9/11 world.
“Study men, not historians.”
“The buck stops here.”
Truman built
this quote on a common American expression: passing the buck. In a
world where most people are blaming others and hiding their own
complicities, how refreshing it is to hear Truman’s words. Try them on
yourself, if you dare.
“If you can't stand the heat,
get out of the kitchen.”
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In
Speaking . . .
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Sometimes, laughter really
is the best medicine. When you are in a one-on-one comfort session with
someone who is upset, or someone who is the target of another person's
anger, Truman's words of wisdom — "Never kick a fresh cow patty on
a hot day" — may add levity and release some of the emotional
tension of the moment.
This quote also has value beyond its
intended meaning. Let's say you are speaking before an audience on the
value of experience, and you wish to make a point about how valuable
one's previous skills and experiences are when applied to current
challenges. Truman had obviously learned many things in life the hard
way, growing up on a farm. It gave him some much-needed common sense in
conflict resolution — something he often needed in the tumultuous times
surrounding his times of service as County Judge, U.S. Senator, and, finally, U.S. President.
When using any analogy — particularly one
like this — always consider your audience
first. When Truman spoke it, a much greater percentage of our country's
citizenry was living on or came from the Farm. Today, few of us have
direct experience with farm life. A farm-life analogy won't play the
same to a New
York City
audience as it will in Wichita.
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In Writing . . .
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While this quote ("Never
kick a fresh cow patty on a hot day") may have some value purely
as a source of humor, be sure to provide context or explanation when
using it. Otherwise, used out of context, its intended meaning can
easily be missed.
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Beyond the
Workplace . . .
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It is said we most often hurt those we love. It's a
matter of proximity — the closeness of family life guarantees
opportunities for conflict: times in which emotions may fly. Keep
Truman's quote in mind when anger from a family-member conflict arises.
Heated emotions, like a fresh cow patty on a hot day, may be handled
more easily when tempers have cooled down.
If you live in the Kansas City area or will be traveling to Kansas City, you can learn more about Harry S. Truman by
visiting key historic sites and collections. First, explore the Truman Presidential Museum and
Library in Independence, Missouri (http://www.trumanlibrary.org/index.html
for details). Then, head south to Grandview, Missouri to tour the Truman
Farm Home, built in 1894 by his grandmother. The restored home and
outbuildings sit on the remaining five acre remnant of the farm. Get
more information at http://www.nps.gov/hstr.
You might even bump into me, if you take in a coffee break at Harry's Cup, just across the
highway at12222 Blue Ridge Road
in Grandview, MO.
An interesting side note: The land under Harry's Cup was once part of
the 600 acre Truman farm. If you need directions or hours of operation,
call Harry's Cup at 816.965.7141.
If you enjoy the atmosphere there as much as I do, say thank you to
interior designer Mary Fisher of Junk to Jewels. You can
reach Ms. Fisher at (913) 681.5060.
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What is
Your Favorite Quote?
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Is
there a quote that has either served you inspirationally in the
workplace or has been valuable in your speech or in writing? Write and tell us about
it. We may feature your quote in a future issue to inspire
others.
Also, please write and tell us how
our weekly quotes have enhanced your writing and speaking. Your
feedback helps us tailor our quote selections to your needs and often
inspires others as well.
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Let
WriteWorks Help
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Analogies and quotes such as this one from Truman
can bring your writing to life, adding clarity and persuasiveness.
Typos and grammatical errors, however, can kill it. When your words
need to count, count on us. We wordsmith marketing materials, proposals,
presentations, articles, reports, speeches, manuscripts, help files,
instruction manuals, and more. We ensure that your words succinctly and
effectively bring home your message. With our network of world- class
freelance writers and editors, we match your project with the perfect
writer. Call us today
to discuss your needs and learn how easy — and beneficial! — it is to do business with us.
Thanks, from the
Writing that Works staff:
Ric Moxley (Writer/Editor) ,
Donna Cornelius (Contributing Editor),
Jim Moxley (Copy Editor), and
Phyllis Moxley (Proofreader, Copy Editor)
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