Talking
One thing I learn when I’m speaking is I don’t know as much as I think I know.
Here’s what I’ve learned about talking. Most of us do it too frequently and for too long.
Rather than talking so much, you might try asking a question and then follow it with silence.
Try this with your spouse, manager, child, employee, or neighbor. Ask a question and then shut up. I’m highly recommending this one for all the parents who are Leadership Freak readers.
There are millions of reasons why we can’t listen. Some are legitimate. For example, there is no time. Or, the person talking has been saying the same thing for years. Or, the person talking is completely off topic. Or, on and on …
The truth stands: Leader’s reach higher by talking less and listening more
Someone said, “We were born with two ears and only one mouth so we should listen twice as much as we speak.”
Leadership Freak,
Dan Rockwell
Personally, I think listening is better then talking. If you are listening during a conversation you are given the opportunity to learn something. It also always for the other people in the conversation to feel that what they have to say means something to you. I have found it also leads to a better conversation because it give you something meaningful to reply with. They reply could be a question to get more information or a comment on the subject at hand. Listen is an important part of any conversation. It is of course why we have two ears and one mouth.
Thanks Zack! All the best this semester in DC.
Too often the reason we don’t stop talking after asking a question is because we’ve already set in our mind the answer we want to hear.
Also, if your question is met with silence and a ‘dumb stare’, that in itself may be an answer – you didn’t listen the first ten times so why expect anything different now. Hmmm.
Hello!
it is an innate nature of a human being, to give less and receive more invariably, therefore, should talk less and listen more.
Good Day.
kchopra
new delhi, India
kchopra – Glad you left your comment here.. regards Dan