But it’s ok, our brains are just dumb and need some guidance.
Making connections is something our brains are wired to do.
When someone else speaks to us we naturally build connections with what is being said.
These connections can follow the paths of our personal experiences, beliefs, attitudes and what we are prepared to understand.
Consequently, the meaning we establish from what people say, and what they actually mean can be vastly different.
Moreover, we usually want to put ourselves into the conversation somewhere to validate or highlight our own thoughts, experience, or existence.
While it’s natural functioning, it doesn’t mean it’s value-adding.
It disconnects us from the person speaking to us and what they are actually trying to communicate.
Good listening takes:
👀 Awareness to monitor our own listening.
🔔 Preparedness to admit to ourselves when we are not listening.
👂 Intention to refocus on the person and their meaning, and not ourselves.
💪 Practice.
Better listening leads to better understanding.
And, the potential positive outcomes from better understanding between people, could be limitless…