Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!
“Listen, or thy tongue will keep thee deaf.” – American Indian proverb
One of the most important pieces of effective communication is listening. Not hearing, but listening. Too often we get caught up in ourselves – Our own thoughts, opinions, views, experiences. We forget to listen to what is going on around us. We forget to listen to what somebody is trying to communicate to us. Hearing is easy. It doesn’t take much effort. Listening is where we sometimes fall short, particularly when what we are hearing conflicts with what we already “know.”
Make a conscious effort to be a good listener, particularly when what is being said conflicts with what we believe, or think we already know or understand. It’s been said that we can also “listen” with our eyes as well, which is just as valuable. Listening, both with our ears and eyes, is a matter of focus, processing, and comprehension. If we’re too busy focusing on our experiences of the past tell us we already know, then we’ll never be able to comprehend what’s in front of us. Listen to others with an open mind. And take note of the world around you with an open mind. Be a deliberate learner, even when what you’re learning conflicts with what you believe.
Make it a GREAT day!
Stay blessed.
