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Communication is the most important skill in life. You spend years learning how to read and write, and years learning how to speak. But what about listening? What training have you had that enables you to listen so you really, deeply understand another human being? Probably none, right?
If you're like most people, you probably seek first to be understood; you want to get your point across. And in doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you're listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely. So why does this happen? Because most people listen with the intent to reply, not to understand. You listen to yourself as you prepare in your mind what you are going to say, the questions you are going to ask, etc. You filter everything you hear through your life experiences, your frame of reference. You check what you hear against your autobiography and see how it measures up. And consequently, you decide prematurely what the other person means before he/she finishes communicating. Do any of the following sound familiar?
"Oh, I know just how you feel. I felt the same way." "I had that same thing happen to me." "Let me tell you what I did in a similar situation."
Because you so often listen autobiographically, you tend to respond in one of four ways:
I think the key is to really listen to what the person has to say, without assuming that we know what they're going to say. Don't assume! And then repeat what you think you heard back to make sure you understood it correctly "Let me see if I got this straight. You're saying...".
Evaluating: You judge and then either agree or disagree. Probing: You ask questions from your own frame of reference. Advising: You give counsel, advice, and solutions to problems. Interpreting: You analyze others' motives and behaviors based on your own experiences.
You might be saying, "Hey, now wait a minute. I'm just trying to relate to the person by drawing on my own experiences. Is that so bad?" In some situations, autobiographical responses may be appropriate, such as when another person specifically asks for help from your point of view or when there is already a very high level of trust in the relationship.
When the other person feels understood, they're more likely to be able to understand what you're trying to say. If you're both trying to get your point across, but nobody's listening you're just wasting time.
Monday - Habit 1 - Be Proactive
Tuesday - Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind
Wednesday - Habit 3 - Put First Things First
Thursday - Habit 4 - Think Win-win
Monday - Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood
Tuesday - Habit 6 - Synergize
Wednesday - Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw
Thursday - The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs
Interesting days
Today - Fibonacci Day
Tomorrow - Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day
Next Monday - Stay Home Because You're Well Day Now that sounds like an excellent reason to stay home! It's also Computer Security Day
December 23 - Roots Day and Festivus
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