Dear Readers,

It was recently brought to my attention that I don’t always listen or more accurately, I listen but I don’t always hear.

Does this happen to you?

I discovered that I thought I heard something that someone said to me, but in fact, I heard the total opposite of what they said. Ouch.

For someone who has earned the badge of “Competent Communicator” from Toastmasters, that is upsetting to hear, AND I have the chance to do something about it.

I started doing some research and it turns out there are many resources to consult in order to become better at it, so I am dong my homework now and will report back.

Starting here with a quote by Simon Sinek-

Perhaps a good jumping off point would be to ask-

Do you listen or wait for your turn to talk?  I know the answer for me, and I am working on it. With my daughter, I am learning all about listening. She says so much with her eyes and her face, and you have to really, really, really pay attention.

How about you? Are you waiting for your turn to talk, or are you really taking in what the other person is saying, and perhaps more importantly, what they are not saying?

Think About It.