Heavy Tongue Syndrome at Work

I confess, I was playing on Pinterest (if you haven't had a chance to visit Pinterest yet, it's an online bulletin board) and I found inspiration. It came in the form of the caption you see in the photo included here.

"The tongue weighs practically nothing, but few people can hold it."

Wow, I would drink to that except:

1) I am still working and I'm really trying to make sense.

2) Drinking must make your tongue really heavy because after a drink or two some people absolutely cannot hold their tongues at all.

Maybe some of us have unusually heavy tongues? Perhaps there's a yet-to-be- diagnosed condition called 'Heavy Tongue Syndrome'.  Maybe that's what makes it so difficult for some people to hold their tongues?

In fact, in retrospect, I am pretty certain that I've been stricken with 'Heavy Tongue Syndrome,' or HTS to chronic sufferers.

For example, years ago, when I told my boss that maybe I should just call one of our customers and tell her I knew she was lying, I bet that was HTS.

Think about some of the things that you've blurted out. Perhaps you've called a colleague a name or said,  "That's stupid" as a team member proposes a new project idea are random attacks of HTS.

I sure hope this is not an epidemic.

I can tell you that I have done some initial research and there is a cure for heavy tongue syndrome. It does require you to go through a procedure. The good news is that you don't need a trip to the doctor or the pharmacy. It is not covered by insurance because it's F-R-E-E.

Here is the procedure:

1) Take a deep breath

2) Ask yourself these three questions before you speak:

• Is it true?
• Is it kind?
• Is it necessary?

3) If it is true, but unkind and unnecessary, give your tongue a rest. If it is untrue, stop your tongue before it starts. If it is unkind, yet true, really consider if it is necessary. If it is not necessary, then take the opportunity to increase your tongue-holding stamina.

Together we can stop the heavy tongue syndrome epidemic before it starts.