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You Talkin' to Me?by Theresa
Cahill
All Rights Reserved
© Copyright 2002
Last night while watching stand up comedy on television, we
listened to a comedian do a hilarious routine
about wavering in and out while listening to someone else
speak. At the time, it was funny - just as a comic routine is
meant to be, but it got me wondering.
How often do we really listen? If your life is anything like
what goes on around here, it's safe to say that maybe you
listen with half an ear most of the time, and give your full
attention during the portion of time leftover. And that's with
live humans! Imagine trying to do the same online where we
"listen" with a whole different set of "ears." Our fingers do
the communicating online, via emails and instant messages. Our
eyes become our heart.
The world is a busy place! It seems to constantly run at that
"hurry and keep up" pace. So, when it comes time to really
listen, how well are we doing?
Here's an example: Today, my son and I were invited to lunch
with my folks. Living in Nevada, and having very
slim pickings on where to eat in Mesquite, we naturally ended
up over at one of the casinos and into a long,
long buffet line. Finally, getting seated, getting our food,
etc., it was time to eat and chitchat. Somewhere along the
line, my father started in on a discussion about storing
graphics online. It was quite complicated, with programs here
and external drives there, and particularly how all the parts
worked together. Compound that with the fact that graphics are
not my forte!
Granted, at first I was able to track this conversation fairly
well. Then, the noise of the buffet started crowding in, my son
was getting restless, and my mom was commenting. In total
frustration, my father said, "Stop! Go on input mode!"
This brought me up short. I realized I'd lost whatever he'd
been trying to tell me more than a few sentences back.
Now, it's not WHAT we'd been talking about, it was the pure and
simple fact that someone had been systematically speaking to me
and I'd just gone zipping off into outer space where it all
jumbled together - sort of a short trip into lala
land.
Besides the most obvious, that of being rude, it does present a
clear picture. Was I really listening? The honest
answer? No.
Whether online or off, the key to solid personal and business
relationships hinges on our ability to listen and
truly "hear" what the other person is trying to tell us.
"You're a good listener" shouldn't be the surprise that it
seems to be nowadays. Though it takes patience to slow down to
the point of hearing, good listening skills come back to us
when we're well-rested (a not-so-easy task working online)
and thinking clearly.
So, my advice? Take time for yourself. Take time for your
family and friends and cultivate your "art of listening."
Good listeners are few and far between. And, just like any
endangered species, we need to do our best to preserve this
dwindling natural resource and ensure it's survival into the
new millennium.
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About the Author:
A veteran of marketing, Theresa Cahill co-owns Molten Marketing website
advertising and owns and operates My Wizard
Ads, your one-stop spot for ezine advertising, solo ads,
classified ads and more. Feel free to stop by for a visit
anytime!
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