Listen Intently

Listen Intently

“Listen to all, ‘plucking a feather from every passing goose,’ but follow no one absolutely.”

-- Chinese Proverb                          

         Of all the human skills, listening is what we do worst. To most people, listening is simply a short period of catching your breath and thinking of what to say next. Everyone wants to be heard but no one wants to listen.
         Good listening is not merely silence; it is hard work. Listening is complicated because the signal-to-noise ratio in human conversation is very low. Often no signal – just noise; too many people love their own voice. Several of our acquaintances can “talk for an hour, never use a comma or period, and still say nothing.” I’m sure you will meet many of these folks.
         You don’t learn anything when you’re talking. Practice active listening. Listening gets you inside the other guy’s head, always to your advantage. A good listener can better spot the fools, fakes, and liars that walk among us.
         Great leaders are always good listeners.

“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.”

-- Ernest Hemingway                                  

The series:
         "Read Voraciously" 
         "Listen Intently"
         "Write Well" 
         "Speak Well - Public Speaking" 
         "Speak Well - Conversation" 
         "Love Mathematics" 

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