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What The Balinese Dolphins Reminded Me About Patience

After a 4 am start, we arrived at sunrise at Lovina Beach, which is located on the beautiful northern coast of Bali. Our guide introduced us to a local fisherman who directed us to his boat and, within seconds of putting on our life jackets, we were heading out to sea.

This morning was dedicated to watching the Balinese Dolphins swim in the wild. They are only usually visible before the morning sun heats up the surface of the water, hence the early start.

We, of course, knew that we wouldn’t be the only ones wanting to see this spectacular sight. Within 20 minutes we were part of a 30 plus flotilla of fishing boats carrying tourists from various parts of the world, armed with cameras and smartphones.

When we converged, the din of all the outboard motors quietened significantly and everyone watched out in almost complete silence and in earnest. We didn’t have to wait long for the first sighting of dolphins. One of the fishermen spotted a pod of them approximately 100 meters away and over 30 outboard motors roared again. Every boat was suddenly on the chase. Each of the fishermen eager to ensure their small crew of customers got a great sighting.

This scenario was repeated several times for over an hour. The brief video, below, was my best one. For now.

Thankfully, despite not being an early morning person, I had formed a connection with our fisherman, Kadek, when we originally set out. I had chatted with him in the Indonesian I still remember, having lived and worked in South East Asia in my younger years. He evidently liked that and went the extra mile for us. Literally.

When the other fishermen called time, Kadek called out to his friend who was steering the next boat and announced to him that he was staying longer and asked if he would too. He obliged.

The resulting calm was very apparent. Just our boat and the other one remained out at sea. All the others were in the distance, well on their way to reaching the shore. Hungry passengers after their breakfast no doubt.

Kadek, of course, knew the secret sauce and it certainly had nothing to do with breakfast.

The dolphins were calmer and they did not disappoint.

Compare this video to the first one. Spot the display of freedom by the dolphins? They are no longer under pressure and are now jumping out of the water. All the other tourists missed this incredible sight.

Here’s the relevance in a business context:

When networking, for example, never overcrowd anyone. We all need to show patience by providing them with space, letting them speak freely with others.

If a prospective contact or customer you wish to speak with is busy, wait. Interruptions are of course interruptions after all.

Return later and, assuming they are not time-bound, they will respect you in return by rewarding you with their time and when it is less noisy.

You may well have a more quality conversation and one you will cherish for a long time.

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John Coupland
John Coupland
JOHN is an independent marketing consultant and is the bestselling author of ACCELerate™ Your Social Media. With extensive experience in e-business and ICT, he helps ambitious entrepreneurs, business owners, and corporates with their business growth using his unique and proven ACCELerate™ methodology. John speaks at leading business events, has written a number of articles for major publications worldwide, and is a member of The Brain Trust®, Small Business Advocate Show®, America. Amongst a number of awards, John played an instrumental role in helping a major UK department store chain achieve the Queen's Awards for Enterprise - Innovation. Learn more at ACCELerate™ Your Business

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