In order to put our listening skills into action, we must be present. Eliminate distractions. Look the other person in the eye. Clear our minds and focus on what is being said. Easier said than done, right? Listening can sometimes be an abstract idea. How can we stay focused in this fast-paced world? How do we manage our emotions and our ideas when they differ from another person’s thoughts? The language of listening comes down to 3 essentials: our brain, our heart, and our courage.
conversation
But First, Conversation
What makes the invitation to “meet for coffee” or “talk over coffee” so warm and alluring? For me, it is knowing that during that conversation, something as strong as the coffee I am drinking is going to take place. I never know what it is going to involve, or at what point of the conversation it will happen, but I know it’s a guarantee that I will leave that conversation somehow different than when it began.