The worst feeling in the world is to pour out your heart and bear your soul, only to realize the other person isn’t even listening. When you have to ask, “Are you listening to me?”, it’s like hitting a pot hole that you know just damaged your car. And when you hear someone ask you that you know you are in trouble.
Sure, we can all fake paying attention. We know the physical signs – leaning in, nodding, affirmative acknowledgements, and verbal cues. We may act as if we are listening, it doesn’t mean we really were listening. And eventually people figure out you aren’t paying attention and they stop talking to you.
When we think of communication, research shows that we see ourselves talking. Unfortunately that means we are not listening, the more important side of true communication. When we take time to not just hear but listen to what the people in our lives are saying THAT is when we are truly communicating.
Take them today to work on your communications skills, the important one called listening. It will change everything.
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