While we could look at a range of areas in ‘Core’ in knowledge, skills, behaviour and Attitude, let me start with one fundamental core skill which is critical for every single person is an organisation – ‘Listening’.
God has given us two ears and one mouth, a constant reminder “we should use them in the same proportion “. This is something which is obvious as Sun rises in the East. Like all good obvious things, they are not very common. Right from the childhood the tendency is more towards talking rather than listening. As we grow the willingness and ability to listen comes down. Why is listening not liked at as a core area of development and practised?
Is it because listening is considered to be inactivate- wrongly?
Does listening make a person less smart?
Does listening reduce the so called ‘aggression’ – “I want my people to be aggressive”?
Is listening considered to be meek?
Is a listener characterised as an introvert?
Many a time the social values and pressures give less and less importance to listening. It takes years of continuous practice to hone our skills of listening and the attitude to listening.
THE BETTER WE LISTEN
THE MORE WE LEARN
HOW LITTLE WE KNOW
I strongly feel that this is one fundamental skill which needs to be developed and constantly reminded at every level in an organisation.
What could we do encourage listening as a core skill:
An awareness that listening is a basic obligation to the other person
A realisation that it is a basic obligation to one’s own self
Understanding of listening as a strength and not as a weakness
The knowledge that good listening prevents problems and therefore helps us be more proactive
And many more
A continuous good training on listening is not in class rooms but in demonstration, in practise, in actions and in every aspect of our behaviour.
Until next,
A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his companions by every word
– Ralph Waldo Emerson –
