Listening is an art
Have you ever wondered why God gave us one mouth and two ears? Could it be He designed us to listen more than to talk? I heard a wonderful quote recently that states “you have to first listen to understand before speaking to be understood.” Think about how profound that quote actually is.
How do you listen effectively? By using your THREE ears:
- The first ear is to listen to what people are saying.
- The second is to listen to what people are NOT telling you.
- The third and most difficult one is to listen to what people want to say but are unable to express their thoughts and ideas.
We naturally hear others talking but spend too little time listening to what is being said. Without truly listening, the words do not register and the idea or thought trying to be shared is usually lost. As one begins to improve listening skills it becomes noticeable what is not being discussed. By listening to the discussion points it becomes more apparent as to what has been omitted from the conversation and by asking the proper questions other pertinent information becomes part of the conversation.
As one’s listening skills are sharpened, attention can be turned to what the other person is having difficulty expressing. Probing through questions helps the other person gather their thoughts and provide additional information. There are many individuals who are better “thinking out loud” rather than to themselves. Improving the art of listening creates a win-win for all those involved and helps to eliminate “surface thinking.” Often, the real thought or solution is hidden and needs to be discovered.
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