Why it is Important to Listen to others? And How can You Really Listen?

Most often People Don’t want Expert Advice, they want to be Heard

Challenges and difficulties are inevitable part of our life. Almost all individuals face one or another problem or challenge in their life. When problems arise, people keep thinking about the problems and try to solve them by themselves. However, when they are not able to find the solution by themselves, they generally look for someone with whom they can talk to and share their problem/s. They look for somebody who can genuinely listen to, and understand, them.

But the irony is that when someone (let’s call that person speaker) shares his or her problems with others (let’s call him/her listener), they (listeners) quite often start giving advice or suggestion to that person. They (listeners) assume the role of (so-called) expert and try show their expertise. They think that if someone is sharing his or her problems with them, then they (listeners) should provide some solution or advice to the speaker.

However, most often, people talk to others and share their problems or issues with them because they want to be heard and understood. Generally, they don’t look for some expert opinion. They don’t want to be judged or evaluated. What they want is a platform where they can freely express themselves and can share their vulnerabilities.

However, most often, most people fail to really listen to others. It is very difficult for them to genuinely listen to others without evaluating or judging them. Most people actually don’t know how to properly listen to others. While listening to others, they keep thinking about what they are going to say in response. Moreover, people often talk more than they listen to others. At any place and at any time, you can find a larger number of people doing more talking than listening. So, it is important for you that you try to listen to others.

Try to Listen to Others   

These days, most people are so busy in their own life that they hardly get time to listen to others, even their closed ones. On the other hand, a large number of people keep struggling in their life because they are not able to find someone who can listen to them and understand them. They are not able to find a psychologically safe environment where they can freely share their problems and vulnerabilities.

Can you try to listen to people matter in your life? Can you provide a psychologically safe environment to them where they can freely express themselves? Would you like to continue to live your life just by focusing on your work or would you also like to take some time from your busy schedule to listen to others and help them?

If you genuinely listen to others and provide them a platform where they can freely express themselves, then it can help them a lot and can bring a big change in their life. It can make them feel a lot relieved, light and happy. Because when someone genuinely listen to others, it makes that person feel a lot relieved, relaxed, happy, and insightful. By genuinely listening to others, you can help them to live a more fulfilling life. It can also strengthen your relationship with that person. Listening helps in resolving conflicts.

However, listening is not so easy. You have to pay your full attention, and put a lot of efforts, to really listen to someone.

How to Really Listen?

Though listening is very crucial, but it is very difficult to really listen to others. It requires a lot of efforts. First and foremost, it requires the intent to listen to, and help, others. You have to have the intent to listen well.

To really listen to others, you need to give your undivided attention to that person. Just try to focus on the person in front of you. Forget about everything else. Don’t let other things distract you while listening to someone. Pay attention to his or her body language. Observe his or her facial expressions, body posture, gestures, voice tone and other non-verbal cues. If required, ask exploratory questions to understand that person at a deeper level. Help him or her to understand himself or herself better by sharing your observations.

So, the next time you talk to someone, give him or her your full attention. Listen to not just what the person is saying, but also try to listen to what the person is not saying. People also communicate a lot without even saying anything. Pay attention to the non-verbal cues.

You can help others in solving a lot of their problems just by attentively listening to them. By listening to others, you can help them in finding solutions of their problems. You can make them feel good, valuable, relaxed, relieved and happy. It doesn’t cost you much, but it can bring a huge change in others’ life.

Also, remember when you listen to others, chances will be high that others will also be more willing to listen to you.

So, attentively listen to others. It can not only help them, but can also be very helpful for you. Listening is one of the top qualities of great leaders. To become one, you have to be good at listening to others.