Re-learning to LISTEN!
“Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would rather have talked.” Mark Twain
Have you thought how much of your free time is devoted to visual-driven activities VS. the time associated to audio-driven ones? No, I mean it: think about it. If you are an average person, your hobbies probably range from Netflix to watching live sports: NFL, NBA, MLB, soccer, hockey, cricket, UFC, etc. There are also TV sitcoms, talk shows, YouTube, Disney+, video games and a whole menu of other visual pleasures (should I say drugs?). Then there is the old taste of going to the movies. There are still even some of us who read for pleasure or go to the theater or live shows.
Furthermore, what nowadays goes viral in social networks are either pictures, memes or videos. They are the virtual “sugar” of our times.
Curiously enough, when talking about professional time (work) we are required, many times, to only listen. Yes, just LISTEN: long phone calls, audio conferences, presentations from your leaders, etc.
I strongly believe that the absolute imbalance between the personal time devoted to visual vs listening activities is correlated to our terrible performance when required to solely listen at our jobs. If we are totally used to guide our minds mainly through the eyes, then it is logical that we feel lost, awkward and uneasy when having to guide ourselves solely by the ears: our main compass is lost. We are just not used to listen, and therefore our attention focuses on the slides on the screen, missing what the presenter is saying. We are attracted to the photos within the Skype chat and whatever stuff is available in our phone and screens… our sole captain is the eye.
Of course, this is a recipe for failure: we are missing crucial information during those key meetings, calls, conversations. What´s to be done? I have three simple yet useful suggestions to improve our listening skills at work:
- Listen to radio shows / opinion programs / podcasts during our free time. Audio-books also work. It is all about re-wiring our brains so they are capable of focusing on audio info only during extended periods of times. Repetition is key to mastery: we need to re-balance visual and audio activity.
- When attending a business meeting, have pen & paper around and take notes. Involving our hands changes the whole equation, deriving in more focus and retention. Ditto for virtual meetings: even typing/transcribing the call helps.
- Try not to interrupt… and I´m not even talking about raising your voice. I am referring to consciously avoid judgments while our interlocutors are talking. The moment our internal voice speaks up, we are not attentively listening. Let’s shut up the internal monologue during those times.
In this XXI century when the vast majority follows the eyes, being capable of following the ears can be a true differentiation. This applies to all of us in the knowledge economy, but particularly to Managers, Leaders, Execs, Coaches, PMs. Let´s re-learn to listen. Yep: as simple as it sounds and as tricky as it is, let´s just LISTEN.
Cheers,
Fernando
PS: The Buggles made a song in 1979 which is almost an omen for these times. Listen below to “Video Killed the Radio Star”…
Photo by Alireza Attari on Unsplash
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