While attending West Virginia University in the mid 70’s I remember hearing in my Journalism class, “Don’t fall in love with the sound of your own voice.” All leaders are brimming with thoughts, but if you want truly innovative ideas, you need to combine your wisdom with the knowledge of your people.
A great idea is nothing more than three or four good ideas put together. And how do you get three or four good ideas? By listening. We fall in love with the other person and can sit in silence listening to them breath and then we switch and cut them off mid-sentence. Communication is so important because it is the vehicle that allows us to verbalize what is inside us and enables us to connect with another person. When a person doesn’t value what we say we tend to feel unloved. When a person hears us out, even if they don’t agree with us we feel valued.
I know we only have 24 hours in a day and that we think we know what the other person is going to say and by finishing their sentences we are saving them time. In actuality we are being rude and selfish. We don’t know what the other person is going to say. It is pride in us that values what we think, feel and want more than the other person.
Relationships work better when we are kind and considerate. Learn to listen. Listening is half of communication.
James 1:19 (NIV) “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,”
Matthew 7:12 (NIV) “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
A great idea is nothing more than three or four good ideas put together. And how do you get three or four good ideas? By listening. We fall in love with the other person and can sit in silence listening to them breath and then we switch and cut them off mid-sentence. Communication is so important because it is the vehicle that allows us to verbalize what is inside us and enables us to connect with another person. When a person doesn’t value what we say we tend to feel unloved. When a person hears us out, even if they don’t agree with us we feel valued.
I know we only have 24 hours in a day and that we think we know what the other person is going to say and by finishing their sentences we are saving them time. In actuality we are being rude and selfish. We don’t know what the other person is going to say. It is pride in us that values what we think, feel and want more than the other person.
Relationships work better when we are kind and considerate. Learn to listen. Listening is half of communication.
James 1:19 (NIV) “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,”
Matthew 7:12 (NIV) “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
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