Do you listen to reply or do you listen to understand
It's a common mistake, especially in conversations where we have a specific agenda or feel strongly about a topic to listen to replay. However, taking the time to truly listen and understand is crucial, both in our private and business lives.
Let's take a real-life example to illustrate the importance of listening to understand.
Imagine a manager who is leading a team through a challenging project. One team member, Karen, expresses concerns about the project timeline. The manager, focused on meeting the deadline, immediately responds by telling John that there's no time to waste and that he needs to work harder. The manager's response shuts down Karen’s concerns and leaves him feeling unheard and undervalued.
In this scenario, the manager was listening to reply instead of listening to understand.
If the manager had taken the time to truly hear Karen’s concerns, he may have discovered that there were legitimate obstacles that were preventing Karen from completing the project on time.
By understanding Karen’s perspective, the manager could have worked with him to find a solution that would benefit both the project timeline and Karen’s well-being.
In both private and business life, listening to understand is critical for building strong relationships.
When we take the time to truly listen to someone else, we show them that we value their thoughts and feelings. In business, this can lead to increased employee satisfaction and retention, as well as better communication and collaboration.
Furthermore, listening to understand is also essential for making better decisions and problem-solving.
🌹By seeking to understand the other person's perspective, we are more likely to come up with creative solutions that take into account everyone's needs and concerns.
🌹 By doing so, we can build stronger relationships, make better decisions, and ultimately lead more fulfilling lives.
As the saying goes, "we have two ears 🙉and one mouth 🙊 so we should listen twice as much as we speak."