Don't Throw The Baby Out With The Bath Water

Have you heard that phrase before? Of course, I have heard it too. A few weeks back I was visiting the Blandwood Historic Mansion in Greensboro, NC. There was a wash basin in the upstairs bedroom. Our lovely tour guide explained that once it was filled with water all the family members would wash themselves in the same water. The oldest would start first and the family members would take turns from oldest to youngest, including the baby. You can imagine how dirty the water would be once the last child washed. Hence, the phrase, “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water”.

Why do I mention this concept? On numerous occasions I have witnessed individuals disregard someone’s entire presentation because of one comment. For example, an insurance agent from Florida recently held a conference call for his peers throughout the Mid Atlantic Region on how to retain business after a rate increase. Several individuals dismissed the whole call because they felt that the techniques only worked in Florida and they wouldn’t work in a state like Virginia where they were from. I know people who have considered a whole book worthless due to one comment they didn’t like or agree with. I think this is a costly mistake that many individuals make. You do not have to disregard a whole presentation because of one comment.

It was reassuring to discover last week that not everyone makes this mistake. I was talking to an individual that read my first blog posting, “Keep an Eye on Two People”. He was able to apply the message to his work at GE. As a new employee at GE he was questioning his worthiness compared to his peers. He then looked around and found that one person that made him say “If he can do it I can do it too”.  He had the skill to apply the message to a different situation than the illustration. My dear friend didn’t dismiss the whole message because he couldn’t relate to wrestling. Therefore, he didn’t throw the baby out with the bath water.

I encourage you to take something from every situation in which you find yourself. Don’t dismiss an athlete’s presentation because you aren’t an athlete. Don’t dismiss a musician’s message about how dedicating hours to practice makes you a great trumpet player just because you don’t play the trumpet or you aren’t a musician. Look for the relevant information in every situation and apply it to make yourself a better person.