The competence of prudence is the ability to act or speak carefully, fairly and appropriately, with reflection, caution and good sense and with caution to avoid possible harm and difficulties to others, respecting the rights, feelings and freedoms of other people.
The prudent person acts with discretion with respect to what is entrusted to him, protecting and safeguarding information that by its very nature must be treated with caution.
Prudence: thinking before acting
Prudent people therefore act thoughtfully, think before they act, and know how to handle confidential information with zeal and secrecy. They inspire trust and use the necessary resources to safeguard sensitive or critical information by preserving it from being leaked, making sure to share it only with previously identified recipients.
Nobody is perfect: We are not born perfect, every day we develop in our personality and in our profession… The whole person – wise in speech, prudent in his actions – is admired, Baltasar Gracián in “The Art of Prudence”
HOW CAN I TRAIN MY PRUDENCE?
- Prudence allows us to assess the consequences that our words and actions will have on our interlocutors. Therefore, to put it into practice, from now on, before answering impulsively and reacting by letting yourself be carried away by emotions, reflect on the following questions: What does the person who is telling me this feel? How can I remain calm and calm before answering out of anger or rage? Does this reaction I’m having have to do with my previous biases or assumptions about the person or situation?
- When you find yourself in a conflict situation, use language and tone that respects the dignity of the person. Disagreeing on issues is common and tests our emotional maturity when it comes to expressing ourselves. Instead of seeking to justify yourself, blame others, or shame someone, develop your self-control and humility to understand other points of view, and be willing to find solutions.
- When you are going to share information about a situation or someone, always think about the characteristics of that information and what its nature is. What is the degree of confidentiality that you think is necessary to have about this information? Who are you going to share that information with? In what detail? Always think before communicating the information to treat it with the discretion and caution necessary that you decide it has.
- He is reminiscent of Socrates, the classical Greek philosopher, and the three filters that, in his opinion, are the questions that every person should ask themselves before saying something. Socrates’ three filters are truth, goodness, and utility.
Prudence, according to Socrates
It is said that, in ancient Greece, a disciple of Socrates arrived at the philosopher’s house very upset.
-Teacher! I want to tell you something about a friend of yours…
Socrates interrupted him immediately:
-Hold on! Before you tell me about my friend, what you’re going to tell me must pass the triple filter test.
– The triple filter? – asked the disciple without knowing what he was talking about.
“Yes,” replied Socrates. – Are you absolutely sure that what you are going to tell me is true?
– I heard some neighbors say it…
– So you don’t know if it’s true or not? – the philosopher insisted. The disciple had to admit that he didn’t.
– And is what you’re going to tell me about my friend a good thing?
“On the contrary, it’s negative, and you’re not going to like it,” said the disciple.
– So you want to tell me something bad about him that you’re not sure is true? – Socrates replied.
The disciple did not know what to answer.
– And finally, is what you have to tell me going to be of any use to me?
The disciple hesitated, but in the end he recognized that, whether he knew it or not, he was not really going to be useful to Socrates.
– So if what you want to tell me is not true, good, or useful, why would I want to know? – the philosopher concluded.
“Remember to continue developing your talent to reach your best version”
