Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that our anatomy provides us with two ears and one mouth. Sometimes, we can act like we have two mouths and one ear.
We all can probably think of at least one person who when talking to them, you can’t get a word in edge wise. How does it feel when you’re done talking with them? You probably get the sense that they had no concern for you, only for letting you know what they had to say.
Talking is perfectly fine. Communication is critical , but we also need to remember that if we’re the one talking, we’re not learning. When talking, you’re sharing what you’ve already learned. When listening, you’re learning – whether that be what the person is talking about or more about the person speaking.
Sometimes, we need to ask more questions and give ourselves more opportunity to listen. Listening to people empowers both them and us. It empowers them to share their opinions and stories. It empowers us to learn from others’ perspective.
We’re oftentimes challenged to have all the answers, however it’s generally the person who readily admits to needing more answers that understands the need to ask more questions.
Don’t lose the opportunity to ask questions. Take advantage of each situation where you can listen and learn more than you could by talking. There’s a reason why you have two ears and one mouth.