I honestly think the world would be a better place if more men simply learned to listen to women.

Case in point:

I had a new dishwasher delivered this week. Cody was away on business, and Ben had gone out to do the grocery shopping, so I was handling the installation appointment myself.

The installer got everything unpacked and then asked me a question about the plumbing connection. I explained exactly how the existing hookup worked and what needed to be done. I know my own kitchen. We’ve had enough appliances in and out over the years that I understood the setup perfectly.

He looked at me, paused, and then proceeded to do the exact opposite of what I had just told him.

Naturally, it didn’t work. Rather than admitting he had ignored my instructions, he informed me that our plumbing must be faulty and that was why the installation had failed.

At that point, I had reached my limit. I told him to step aside. I walked over, pointed out the connection, explained again how it was configured, and demonstrated exactly what I had been telling him from the beginning. It took him about thirty seconds to realize I was right.

A few minutes later, the dishwasher was installed and working perfectly. Funny how that happens.

As he packed up his tools, I smiled and told him that if he ever ran into another tricky installation, he was welcome to give me a call for a consultation. He didn’t laugh nearly as much as I did.

Moments like that always remind me that confidence and competence are two very different things. Too many men assume they know better simply because they’re the one holding the wrench. Sometimes the smartest thing a man can do is stop talking, listen carefully, and follow the instructions given by the woman who already knows the answer.