Personal Development – Listening to Learn

We normally learn and develop by reading, listening and associating. We are made to learn, grow and make progress. In fact, we feel like we’re stagnating if we’re not.

Those of us who have dreams and goals for a better business or a better life are currently under-qualified. We must become the “bigger” person if we are to achieve the bigger dream. And we are smack bang in the middle of the information and technology revolution, so the tools to learn and grow are at our fingertips.

Let’s talk about listening. We must hone our listening skills to give us maximum results. In the EntreLeadership Podcast #246, Patty McCord, co-creator of the now viral (think over 12 million views) Netflix Culture deck, makes this amazing statement.

“Listening is overrated. Listening to learn is underrated.”

Many of us are formulating our reply as the other person is talking. Can you see what’s wrong with that? That’s what lawyers do, not learners. We should never try to win a conversation. We should only try to win a debate.

When two or more people bring their contributions to a conversation, all stakeholders can fall into the trap of trying to win their audience to their way of thinking. “Let’s be reasonable and see this my way,” they think. Another trap we fall into is to receive another persons differing point of view as a rejection of my good idea and me.

Patty suggests we adopt a mature response to a differing point of view by responding “That’s interesting. What is it that brought you to those conclusions?”

A response like that indicates that a person is more “precious” about the project than they are about their ego.

More wisdom and understanding is produced when we “listen to learn.” We generally know when someone is learning when he or she asks the speaker to repeat what they said, comment further or take notes.