Talk is Cheap

There is no doubt in my mind about it, talk is cheap.  I think most have heard of walk the walk and talk the talk.  To say stuff is the easiest thing in the world.  To do stuff is harder.  If I am going to err it is probably best to walk the walk.
Often we hear people joke “don’t do what I do, do what I say!”
Often I need to listen and then act and then talk.  It seems to me I have two ears and only one mouth for a reason.  It is best I listen twice as much as I talk.  It is strange but people seem to assume I really know my stuff when I do not open my mouth.  Little do they know, I don’t open my mouth often as I do not have a clue.  I am like a deer in the head lights.  Often. when I do open my mouth, it is only to change feet.
They say that to be a teacher of something one only needs to know more than the person they are instructing.  On that basis anyone can be a teacher if they know and can convey more than the person they are addressing.
The learning process for me on the job, was always to have someone instruct and do while I watched, and then for me to do while they watched and instructed as necessary, and finally for me to do on my own.  It soon became obvious if I knew my stuff, or was a lost cause.
We had one guy at work I really felt for.  He was really good.  I noticed when I was instructing him, he would take notes and then do.  I felt for him because one of our jobs was to instruct students in the use of the photocopier.  However he suffered terribly from hay fever, and sometimes the glass wore his suffering.  As bad as that is, I would rather it to someone being instructed wrongly.
They say we influence about 15 people.  To get something wrong is not just unfortunate for one.  That one can then tell 15 others the wrong thing.  Then each one of those 15 influence 15 others.  Soon it compounds and many do it wrong.  To me, that is why it is important to get it right.  It is why companies stress a good experience for the customers.  If my experience is bad, then others in my sphere will avoid that placed based on what I convey.  It just goes on.  May as well get it right and there is not a problem.
Often we hear people say, “I would never get another (name a brand of car).”  Yet there are many people driving that same brand around.  If the experience is bad, I am put off, and put those around me are put off too.
Talk is cheap.  I need to talk less and listen more and most importantly, do it right.