#Listening December 21

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The next sentence I write about LISTENING is attributed to Alan Alda and is personally humbling.

“Real listening is a willingness to let the other person change you.”

One of the real hard things for any leader to embrace is change. Logically most people understand that change is an inevitable part of life. The seasons change, our bodies change with age, and the weather changes. Despite all those facts we often have a hard, if not impossible task of LISTENING to someone whose words might change us.

As 2020 comes to a close and a new year is just a few weeks away it might be time to reflect on how to become better at LISTENING.

If a resistance to change was not hard enough when it comes to LISTENING we also have the 21st Century curse of distractions. The notifications, emails, and texts all create a false sense of urgency that takes our attention away from LISTENING. I am very guilty of this and I am not alone.

William Ury is an author, but he is also a negotiation adviser and mediator. In those roles to get people to change he realizes that he has to coach people to LISTEN in order to change. He talks about the most successful negotiators LISTEN far more than they talk. He also talks about the key to LISTENING is the human mind has to be open to receive any message.

LISTENING to others will help all of understand, connect, and get us to yes and that is a noble goal for 2021.

Here is a TED Talk William Ury gave in San Diego.

Thanks for LISTENING