Are you listening?

“He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him.”

Proverbs 18:13 NASB

“It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes

In pursuit of Life long Learning we must come to grip with the ever important task of listening.  You may say, “I listen all the time.  That isn’t so hard.”  What you do is hear, not always listen.  Hearing and listening are two very different things.  I can hear many things, but I only listen to those I wish to.

Lets look at some stats about listening collected by the International Listening Association (Yes, there is a group for everything).   Did you know?

We think at a speed of 1000 – 3000 words per minute

We listen at a speed of 125 – 250 words per minute

We remember only 20% of what we hear

We forget 50% immediately after a person stops talking to us

Good listening habits are key to good learning.  Once you have developed good listening skills you find you learn more, enjoy more and remember more.  Listening skill will help you on the job, or to get a job.  They will show you care about what is being told you and you can be more efficient since you will only need to be told once.

You will enjoy and be enjoyed much more in conversations.  Listening is not thinking about what you will say when the other person shuts up.  Listening is really hearing what that person is saying and be able to ask the right questions or give the right advice when needed.  Listening to others show they have value to you and they matter.  We all like to feel we matter.  Remember the wise words of that great thinker, Winnie the Pooh who said, “If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening be patient.  It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”

Take time today to listen.  The old saying is true, “God gave you two ears and one mouth.  You need to listen twice as much as you talk.”  Here are a few tips to good listening skills that may help you:

• Look at the person who is talking face to face.
• Lean forward when people talk to get every word.
• Think about what is being said, not how you will respond to it.
• Ask rich questions that lead to understanding.
• Be quite.

© 2010 Jack Hickey