Listening

 

This saying above fits a problem that I struggle with sometimes. There are times when I find myself in a conversation not truly listening to understand, but listening either.

A. to come up with a solution

or

B. I’m thinking of my response before the other person finishes.

Both of these habits are destructive to good communication.  They take the focus off the speaker and move it to ourselves.

Knowing this and practicing it however are two totally different things.  To truly understand it we really have to embrace empathy, which is us striving to really understand where the other person is coming from. Putting ourselves in their shoes.

It’s not a matter of me coming up with a solution, it’s not a matter of my opinion, it’s a matter of caring enough about the other person to just let them talk and have someone who genuinely wants to listen and care for them.