The Art of Listening

Post Date

Wed, 07/31/2019 - 05:30

Categories

Lifestyle

Nothing gets me more annoyed and exhausted than trying to communicate with a person “hard-of-hearing” and I don’t mean “hearing” in the literal sense of the word. Have you ever had a colleague, friend or co-worker that did all of the talking and ZERO listening? (Notice my past tense word choice) Even when they ask a question, they don’t even listen to your reply! Ugh! I tend not to keep them around. Active listening is to listen with all of your senses. When I have a conversation with an active listener, I am aware of this skill immediately. My heart skips a beat and I know they will respond with thought and intention. Selflessly interested in each word chosen, “hearing” every verbal and non-verbal meaning. Do you actively engage in truly listening? How do you know if someone is really listening to you?

Comments

Fred Klein

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You are on to something here. Make sure they look you in the eye!

Carly Bentley

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Yes!! I remember someone telling me that G-d gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth.

Liz Saldana

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Long ago, I was a contracts negotiator. The sales team used to say "silence" was my superpower. That's because I would refrain from speaking until the other person was finished. The practice of listening (not speaking) served me well then and still does.

Daniel Schwartz

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Listening is huge. I know most of the time when someone is not listening to what I am saying by lack of eye contact and repetitive "Uh Ha's". I notice so many people that really don't listen which is so necessary in my line of work.

Joshua Zinder

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What? can you speak louder? :)

This can be a challenge I have been told I am a deep listener but often I will sketch draw or doodle and people will think I am not paying attention to them but quite the contrary it allows me to focus on their every word. I do find it hard to focus in group situations sometimes so I feel like the dog who sees a squirrel and changes his activity, too much visual stimulation. How do I know you are listening if I notice someone's eye color I know thy are listening to me. People who are not listening will not look me in the eye.

Victoria Drogin

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Great topic! Very important skill to cultivate. I work on it constantly. :)) Often, people are thinking of the next thing they want to say in response to the first half of whatever you were saying. So they miss the second half. I know someone is a great listener when they re-frame and restate back to me what I said, ostensibly to make sure they “got it right.“ It is the ultimate compliment. Definitely part of the Emotional Intelligence skill set. My nanny used to say: God gave you two ears and one mouth. You should be listening twice as much is you talk.

Carly Bentley

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It is such a valuable tool!!

Carly Bentley

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Doesn’t it just make you feel so disinterested when someone does that!?! I hate it.

Carly Bentley

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Josh, you’re a great listener. You hear the words between the words. I watch you draw during meetings and it’s always interesting to see the design you create while you’re listening. Sometimes your sketch takes on elements of what you’re thinking whilst listening. Boxes with open sides show me you’re still thinking up solutions and closed shapes tell me you’ve decided :) I listen to your language intently, like you do mine :)

Carly Bentley

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So incredibly true!! 2 ears and 1 mouth-I love this. Indeed. I think listening and showing the other person you understand is definitely my love language.