The bigger the stakes for your opponent, the easier they are to bluff.
ADAGE
Know When to Fold
———-
RESPONSE
The bigger the stakes for your opponent, the easier they are to bluff. Don’t bluff anyone until they have first seen you win a few. The ideal is to let them see you win three in a row. A single win by itself doesn’t have much impact. Two wins is the suggestion of a pattern. Three wins is a clear pattern. After observing three consecutive wins, few people will bet against a fourth. It’s easier to bluff someone coming off a string of losses than someone who is on a winning streak. Avoid bluffing the same person twice. Bluff sparingly. Few things hurt your credibility more than bluffing, getting called on it, and then backing down. It will limit your freedom to maneuver in the future, even when you aren’t bluffing. Do you think bluffing works with God? Don’t bluff. Trust the Lord to bless in another way. Deception and false fronts are the world’s ways, not God’s.
SCRIPTURE
Proverbs 12:22 The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.
Proverbs 21:29 (NLT) The wicked bluff their way through, but the virtuous think before they act.
QUESTIONS
How do the Scripture(s) apply to the business adage?
Is bluffing the same as lying? Explain.
The bank calls and is concerned about your credit line, which you are rapidly maxing out. Several operating issues are impacting your ability to ship on time, and you’re not sure when you can resolve them. If you admit this to the bank they may call your credit line. What do you do?
Don’t businesses bluff all of the time? Is there not a comparison to a football play, even the military? The biggest bluff of all time was the D-Day bluff that enabled a surprise attack at Normandy. Can you list any examples in business where bluffing would be appropriate?
DOWNLOAD
Download the free PDF worksheet for this adage, print it, and use it in your meeting, conference, or group.
