Are you Listening?

Have you ever thought about how it is you communicate? Have you ever thought about how you are perceived when you communicate?

Let me tell you a story. This story is about a gentleman called Communication Guy. Communication Guy is a phenomenal speaker, and one of the best in the world. When he opens his mouth to speak, the words flow like silk, and his vocabulary is so good that it sounds like audio gold. Wherever he goes and whomever he meets he just mesmerises them with his words.

But, as time went by, Communication Guy started to notice that the opportunities to communicate and speak to people were becoming exceedingly rare. He found that people were getting less interested in inviting him to speak and less interested in engaging with him in person. This was concerning to him, as he was Communication Guy. What was going to happen if he could not communicate anymore if he could not speak anymore?

He realised that he needed to find out why this was happening as this was of the utmost importance, this was his life. He set out on a quest to find the reason behind all of this. It was not easy. He struggled to find the answers as opportunities to communicate and opportunities to speak to people became less and less…and so were the answers. 

Communication Guy felt defeated. And as he was walking through a forest on his way home, head down and shoulders slumped, never to speak again, he heard something. Whispers. Communication Guy stopped in his tracks, what was that? He kept quiet and listened. There it was again…he listened even more intently, more deeply than he has ever done before…The trees were saying something, they were telling him something… well-done Communication Guy…Well Done. 

At that moment it dawned on Communication Guy, why this was all happening. Why did no one want to speak to him anymore? “I did not listen to anyone. I was the only one speaking the whole time even though everyone has and had something to say. I did not hear them”.

Have you ever found yourself in the position of Communication Guy? Where you did not listen to someone while they were speaking to you. Not hearing them when they were speaking to you if they did get a chance to even speak?

We go through life placing our focus on learning and training how to speak. To speak to friends, family and loved ones in front of an audience. We even learn how to perfect it using body language, vocal variety and facial expressions. But when do we learn how to listen?

There is a reason we have two ears and 1 mouth, maybe we should consider using one more than the other.

If we do not listen first, we will not know the correct thing to say. And if we never allow someone else to speak, we may end up like Communication Guy. Everybody has something to say…everyone wants to be listened to. Why do you think we pay psychologists so much money just to listen to us? We want to be heard.

Communication is not a one-way street. Communication is primarily to listen. When you listen truly listen, people feel heard, when you truly listen people feel appreciated. And when you are afforded the opportunity to speak you will be awarded the most amazing opportunity to speak into someone else’s life, to make a difference, TO SERVE.

To listen is to serve, to serve is the noblest act of them all. Today…before you speak to say what it is you want to say…choose to serve…the result will astound you.