The most underrated skill in the world is listening.  So few people actually listen to each other deeply.  They’re too busy thinking about what they’re going to say next or how to get other people to listen to them.  They are self-centered when they should be people-centered.

What a loss.  Because there is so much to gain from using your ears for their intended purpose:  listening – not waiting for a pause to talk.  When you develop a listening ear, you gain insights into what makes people tick, what they need, and how to compel them to action.  You develop profound connections.  The most successful people in the world are all great listeners.  Their own voice is not their focus.  They’re so good at hearing, they don’t just listen to the words being said by others, they also grasp the meaning beneath those utterances.  They therefore understand what people want, and they build great companies, amazing nonprofits and terrific agencies based on that knowledge.

Some people listen at first, but then stop.  That’s not good either.  People cease listening when they think they know the answers they’re going to get—or when they think they have better answers.  This is dangerous.  We have to keep listening, because few people stay the same or lock into one thought forever.

I have been learning deep lessons in this area and Katya has a great perspective that I think is worthy of your attention. Follow the ‘via’ link if you want to expand your skillset…