Two to One
TWO TO ONETo paraphrase an old truism, we were given two ears and one mouth because we're supposed to listen twice as much as we're supposed to talk. Now, I know you've heard that expression maybe a thousand times by now but there is so much truth in it!
The reality for too many of us is we can't keep our mouths shut long enough to really grasp what's going on around us. We're too busy defending our opinion or stroking our own egos through our verbal assaults to gain from the opportunity to learn from others.
I ask you, do we work as hard at listening as we do talking? May I suggest we would all be better off if we followed the suggestion from another truism. Always speak to express but truly listen to impress. You will attract people and ideas to you at an astonishing pace if you were to live by that truth.
So, how can you become a more active listener? I believe the single most effective thing you can do when listening to another person is to maintain eye contact. There's something about forcing your eyes to stay in contact with the eyes of the person you are listening to that helps your ears focus on listening more intently and your mouth to stay closed at appropriate times. In short, two eyes help two ears control one mouth!
Now, what do you have to say to that?
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