Listening

What do you think or how do you feel when someone really listens to you?

How about when they don't listen to you?

And how would you rate yourself regarding genuinely listening to others?

Even more important, how do you think those within your orbit would rate you?

In today's world, there are many platforms and methods of communicating or expressing thoughts or opinions that are fast, efficient and can reach many people instantly. That's great. But are people connecting and truly understanding each other?

It may be old-fashioned, but I cannot imagine trying to coach, understand or solve a problem with a person without hearing their voice and seeing their face virtually, or even better, in person. Hearing the tone and pace of a person's voice, listening for the emotion or lack thereof attached to their words, connecting to what a person feels along with what they think, and seeing the non-verbal body language that often says more than words are all critically important input. And when someone actively and deeply listens and asks thoughtful questions, people feel heard and their thoughts or opinions respected.

However, today, especially when opposing views exist, everybody seems to stop listening to each other - that is, if they were even listening in the first place. And I get it - some people will only listen or talk to you if what you say agrees with their agenda on touchy issues. But, frankly, I love talking with people of different backgrounds or perspectives than me because I always learn something, even if I don't agree with them completely. And since I already know what I think, it is more interesting to ask questions to learn more about the person as much as the topic. So that surfaces another critical point - how do we learn if we don't listen?

Call me crazy, but this world could benefit from more good old-fashioned one-on-one verbal communication and some respectful give and take. And it all starts with listening.