Are You Really Listening?

In this day and age of fast-paced business and multi-tasking, we quickly jump to assumptions by failing to listen, be curious or ask questions. I heard a beautiful saying during the week by Mark Nepo who said in regards to the skill of truly listening, that “To listen is to lean in softly with a willingness to be changed by what we hear.” 

All too often, we are so consumed with getting our own point across, defending our own views and just being right, that we don’t take the time to sit back and first seek to understand, before wanting to be understood. I love the idea of leaning in softly and letting the other person know that what they have to say matters, by truly listening, seeing and feeling what is being said.
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Stories change the world, they change us, they change communities and they solve problems that seem unsolvable. Be curious and ask for more information to truly understand and be willing to be changed by what is said. It is such a profound and powerful statement that we should have as our screensaver so that each day, in every conversation we have with workmates, in meetings, with partners, with children, with strangers in the street, or a taxi driver, that we remember to truly listen and lean in softly and be willing to be changed by what we hear.