The Importance of Listening at Work
We're going to talk about the importance of listening. We'll consider first listening to those we encounter at work; then we'll consider how we can and should listen to God.
The ability to listen to others comes naturally to some, but not all, of us. If it doesn't come naturally to you, don't fret; you can acquire the habit with some practice. The first step is learning to be quiet when another person is talking. The second step is to not only keep your mouth shut, but to concentrate on what that person is saying. If you're not a natural listener, you know that this can take some doing. But, again, if you work at it, you'll learn to listen.
On the job, listening will help you in so many ways. You'll know just what your boss expects from you if you really listen to him or her. You'll get along better with colleagues if you listen intently when they speak, rather than interrupting them with your ideas. People like to be heard, even better, understood.
And need I tell you about customers? So many businesses have found success by carefully listening to their customers. Customer surveys can help here, but sometimes it's just a matter of speaking with or in some way directly communicating with clients on a particular subject and keeping your eyes, ears, and mind open when they communicate back.
Example: Once, a client asked me what I thought of his buying a second home. A strictly "objective" analysis would show that the purchase would likely not cause undue financial strain. But having listened to this client over a number of years, I came to understand that big financial commitments instilled high level of anxiety. So my response, and our subsequent dialogue, focused more on those feelings about the purchase, the anxiety, rather than the numbers.
So to be a really good listener, make up your mind to: a) keep quiet when others speak to you; b) really concentrate on what they're saying; c) if you're unclear about what they said or meant, ask them to clarify. This may sound easy, and it is when the person speaks clearly and coherently. As you've probably experienced, though, not everyone does speak clearly and coherently (especially these days!). Develop the patience to clarify in a measured manner that doesn't come across as a cross-examination. If you treat the other person with respect and, more importantly, charity, your words will communicate this. (And, as a Catholic, you will treat them thusly, right?)
You can apply the same listening skills to God, by the way. Of course, it's not exactly the same. For example, even when you read the Bible - the Word of God - and the words seem crystal clear, you might not really be "listening" the way you should. When Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25
Besides the written word in the Bible, God's words can come to us more directly when He speaks to us. Here things get a bit more tricky. After all, you don't really "hear" Him the way you hear your boss, your colleagues, or your customers. We talked a little about this on Sunday, and we'll talk more about it next time.
For today, though, let's just note that, as important as listening can be at work, the ability to listen to God will be that much more important if we want to draw ever closer to Him - which is just what this life should be all about. Isn't it?
The ability to listen to others comes naturally to some, but not all, of us. If it doesn't come naturally to you, don't fret; you can acquire the habit with some practice. The first step is learning to be quiet when another person is talking. The second step is to not only keep your mouth shut, but to concentrate on what that person is saying. If you're not a natural listener, you know that this can take some doing. But, again, if you work at it, you'll learn to listen.
On the job, listening will help you in so many ways. You'll know just what your boss expects from you if you really listen to him or her. You'll get along better with colleagues if you listen intently when they speak, rather than interrupting them with your ideas. People like to be heard, even better, understood.
And need I tell you about customers? So many businesses have found success by carefully listening to their customers. Customer surveys can help here, but sometimes it's just a matter of speaking with or in some way directly communicating with clients on a particular subject and keeping your eyes, ears, and mind open when they communicate back.
Example: Once, a client asked me what I thought of his buying a second home. A strictly "objective" analysis would show that the purchase would likely not cause undue financial strain. But having listened to this client over a number of years, I came to understand that big financial commitments instilled high level of anxiety. So my response, and our subsequent dialogue, focused more on those feelings about the purchase, the anxiety, rather than the numbers.
So to be a really good listener, make up your mind to: a) keep quiet when others speak to you; b) really concentrate on what they're saying; c) if you're unclear about what they said or meant, ask them to clarify. This may sound easy, and it is when the person speaks clearly and coherently. As you've probably experienced, though, not everyone does speak clearly and coherently (especially these days!). Develop the patience to clarify in a measured manner that doesn't come across as a cross-examination. If you treat the other person with respect and, more importantly, charity, your words will communicate this. (And, as a Catholic, you will treat them thusly, right?)
You can apply the same listening skills to God, by the way. Of course, it's not exactly the same. For example, even when you read the Bible - the Word of God - and the words seem crystal clear, you might not really be "listening" the way you should. When Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?"you might understand the meaning of the words, but are you really listening to Our Lord? If you think you are, but you notice you have a tendency to be anxious about your finances, or your job security, or whether you'll have enough money to send the kids to college, or to retire some day, maybe you're really not listening. I'm not saying that these financial issues aren't important, or that for most they don't present serious challenges. They are and they do. But if Jesus means what He says here - "do not be anxious about your life" - then anxiety shouldn't gnaw at us when we face these challenges. Right?
Besides the written word in the Bible, God's words can come to us more directly when He speaks to us. Here things get a bit more tricky. After all, you don't really "hear" Him the way you hear your boss, your colleagues, or your customers. We talked a little about this on Sunday, and we'll talk more about it next time.
For today, though, let's just note that, as important as listening can be at work, the ability to listen to God will be that much more important if we want to draw ever closer to Him - which is just what this life should be all about. Isn't it?
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