“I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening.”Larry King
Listening is something more than just hearing and essential skill which allows you to understand what other persons have to say. Most of us are used to speak more about our problems, stories, and interests and neglect the fact that we must spend a day listening as it is an essential aspect of personality development by expanding your horizons or your knowledge about the world.
Of course, this is not something straightforward as you need patience and attention to listen to others carefully, but once you developed this skill, you will surely be able to improve your social interactions and relationships with others.
Here are some aspects which elaborate on why spending a day of listening is crucial for us!
1. People Feel Respected
“To say that a person feels listened to means a lot more than just their ideas get heard. It’s a sign of respect. It makes people feel valued.”
— Deborah Tannen
Listening to others with proper attention is a great way to give a sense of respect. For developing positive relationships, listening plays a crucial role as the speakers find out that you value their words.
Do not just hear to others but listen to them with proper attention and concerns as everyone wants to be listened. Give value to other’s words and concerns.
While listening, do not cut their words or sentences as it is a sign of disrespect. Give proper response to others at the right time after listening to others, and you will find the communication meaningful in this way.
2. Understand Others from Different Perspective
You cannot understand the perspective of others until or unless you develop a listening skill. If you keep on speaking and preach just your point of view about some issues, it may suppress the other person’s emotions or opinions.
Whatever the scenario is, always be ready to listen to what others want to say and observe the background behind instead of creating conflicts. It will lead to a better understanding of people and their perspectives, and you will be able to make a positive communication or relationship with others.
Gain More in Depth Information
“If you make listening and observation your occupation, you will gain much more than you can by talk” (Robert Baden-Powell)
To be informed and more knowledgeable, you must spend a day of listening. This is not necessary that listening only to experts, professors, and professionals can increase your knowledge about things.
Still, you will be able to develop a good insight into various matters by listening to anyone. In your social or working circle, make communications with others, listen to their opinions, experiences, and suggestions, and believe, you will feel informed about many things.
3. Important for Personal Development
Giving attention to other words and understanding their perspective is an excellent source of personal development as it allows us to learn, reflect, and grow and to make more informed decisions. Through active listening, you pay considerable attention to others, and maybe many of your opinions change, and you become aware of various things.
Listening to others can also improve many of your skills and gain more information as it gives a chance to observe other’s experiences. If you want to develop your inner self and knowledge, you must set a day to make communications with people.
4. Build trust
Successful and trustable persons are always those who listen more than speaking. Either in your family relations, social communications, or in a workplace environment, the active listener is the favorite and trusted personality, or people tend to discuss various things with that person.
You must be a supportive and understanding listener for others as it makes them feel important and their words valued. They will start trusting you and remain ready to listen to you whenever you need to speak.
5. It promotes effective communication
Effective and excellent communication always involves proper listening. Listening is a powerful habit through which you can make effective communication with others.
Develop good listening in you and give other people a chance to talk about their experiences, goals, and beliefs. It demonstrates that we are giving attention and respect to other thoughts, which is essential to maintain a strong relationship with others and promotes excellent communication.
So, listen to others and make meaningful relationships with them; however, it will help to make you a better person by recognizing others, their experiences, and opinions!
