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THURSDAY THOUGHT 1/24/08

January 24, 2008 on 2:37 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Motivational Thoughts | No Comments

I’m as guilty as just about everyone else I know on this one: When someone is talking, I’m not really listening; I’m preparing my next witty and erudite reply.  That turns talking into a look-at-me, head-butting contest, a competition for air space.

But when I do shut up and listen — turn off my mouth and switch on my ears — boy, do I learn a lot about issues, ideas and, most of all, the person who is talking.

Today, I’m going to practice shutting up and listening … well, that is, after I’m done with a marketing presentation for UW Extension.  I already know what I’m going to say.  But after that, I’m going to find out what the others have to say.  And I’m going to enjoy the process and see what I can learn…even if I have to bite my tongue off to do it.  — jri

“When you talk, you can only say something
that you already know.  When you listen, you
may learn what someone else knows.”
–    Thomas Dreie