Power Of Listening Essay

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The Power of Listening

By now, you should have a pretty good idea of how bad a communicator I was. Well, guess what? My listening skills were ten times worse. Not only did I excel at verbally attacking Danielle, I was a world-class champ in the fine art of interruptions. The only person I could stand listening to for long periods of time was me. Why? Because I was always right. When you’re always right, listening to anyone else is simply a waste of time.
In my warped mind, her strange opinions had little merit. I second guessed her logic and devalued her feelings. So, taking the time to intently listen was the absolute last thing I wanted to do. During discussions, the only thing I can recall hearing Danielle say time and again was, “Let Me …show more content…

Just as your eyes can be taught to see more clearly, your ears can be taught to hear more clearly. Most people are under the impression that listening places the other person in control of the conversation; however, nothing can be further from the truth. The listener, not the speaker, actually controls the conversation. How, you may ask?
Compare listening to driving a car. The person talking can be likened to the engine, while the person listening can be likened to the driver. The engine provides the power, but the person at the wheel decides where the car will go. You, as the listener, can guide the flow of a conversation by the statements you make and the questions you ask. This is called paraphrasing. When you paraphrase what another person is saying, that person continues to talk. When you verbally agree with the talker, you encourage them to share more.
Initially, when listening, it may cause the other person to talk endlessly, but if you remain perfectly silent, you create a tension within the person speaking, forcing to simmer down. I’m not talking about using the silent treatment, which is an unfair weapon that will, in time, destroy a relationship, but by not responding, you let the other individual know that you are finished with your part of the conversation. Your silence points to the fact that true communication is a give and take process, and that there are rules and order to give and take

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