Are you really listening?
Most people hear but how many of them listen?
Gary Bloomer | SHAKING THE TREE # 337
Blah, blah, blah.
Yada, yada, yada.
The truth is that in many cases and in many places, with whatever we’re hearing, we’re not hearing because we’re not listening.
Hearing is about sound going into your ears.
Listening is about taking that audio information (whatever it is: music, speech, birdsong, whatever), and weighing it, feeling it, decoding it, assessing it, and understanding it.
All understanding depends on listening. All of it.
There are multiple scenes in the cartoon series Charlie Brown where, whenever the adults are speaking, all we hear is whaa, whaa, whaa sounds, simply because none of the kids are listening … because they’re kids!
But adults don’t have an excuse.
When someone is speaking to you, extend them the same courtesy you hope they extend to you by doing them the favor of listening … truly listening … to what’s being said.
You never know.
You might discover something worth hearing.
As always, thanks for reading.
—Gary
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Next time on Shaking the Tree: Seeing things by looking.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Originally from the U.K., Gary Bloomer is a writer, branding advocate, marketing specialist, and an award-winning graphic designer.
His design work has been included in Creative Review (one of the UK’s largest design magazines). Since 2009, he has answered over 5,000 marketing and business questions in the Know-How Exchange of MarketingProfs.com, placing him among the top 3% of contributors. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware, USA.