July 2024 - Listening
Listening is an act of love.
It is an unselfish activity and actually causes us to be about the other person. Listening gets the focus away from us and allows us to focus on others.
When we truly listen to someone else, we put ourselves on hold to focus on someone else. It's why one of the signs of a humble person is the ability to listen to someone else and ask questions.
That’s why the way we listen is so important. Below are five tips on how to listen well:
Be Present: Focus entirely on the other person, avoiding distractions.
Show Interest: Use body language and verbal affirmations to show engagement.
Avoid Interrupting: Let the other person finish their thoughts before responding.
Ask Questions: Clarify any points not understood by asking relevant questions.
Reflect and Summarize: Paraphrase what the other person has said to ensure understanding through reflective listening.
Listening helps foster and develop unity with others, it helps to build rapport and trust. When we listen to others, we give clear evidence that we value what they have to say and therefore we value them.
And, as we listen, we will come to recognize things we did not know or we will learn a new thing about an old thing. That's why wisdom collects within us as we listen to what others have to say.
We not only need to listen with our ears but also listen with our eyes. It's been said that the majority of our communication happens nonverbally.
So, as we listen to others, both with our ears and our eyes, we can expect the same in return from them. Because if we expect to be listened to, we must also listen.
This is why we must be slow to speak and quick to listen!
