Do you hear AND listen?

So, let’s talk about this thing for a few minutes.

How many times has someone asked you, “are you listening to me?”; or said, “you don’t hear me!” I think we’ve all encountered this in our friendships, relationships, work environment, etc. Are hearing and listening the same? No, they are not but they are intimately connected as it pertains to communication.

Walls are either built or broken when we communicate. Here are some strategies to increase your chances of building a solid communicative approach.

Hearing - the process of taking in sound through the ear. Let the words land with you. Don’t just allow them to fall like seeds on stony ground. Take them in fully into your ear gates.

Listening - Attend to the words you’ve received through your hearing. Most importantly, do two things: ask questions and paraphrase what you have heard. This will ensure that there is no miscommunication and the presenter will feel as if their words were truly received. Also, make sure you take at least three seconds before you respond. This gives your brain time to process information since we tend to cut each other off often to get our own point across.

Be patient; slow to speak and quick to listen.

Until next time,

Be well and whole😘

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