What Do You Hear?
Recently, I observed a friend of mine. He was standing outside on the deck of a lake house on a cold morning. I later asked him, what he was doing out in the cold morning. He said, “This house is surrounded by a beautiful lake and woods. It’s in the quiet of the morning that I can hear things that I can’t normally hear.” He continued, “When I take the time to stop and listen things come alive for me. I can hear the wind in the trees, the small birds, the moving of nature.”
I wonder how many things we are missing because we do not stop and listen to those around us? In this age of fear and fighting and name calling and lack of trust for those who are not “on our team”, I wonder if we can hear anything at all. Are we so busy pursuing our own agenda that we close our eyes and ears to things that we don’t understand or agree with?
When I face my day with the mindset that I must push through all the zoom meetings, and tackle all the tasks in front me, I minimize a critical skill. That is the ability to listen to those around me and to notice my environment both personally and professionally. Now more than ever, it is vital that we are aware of our culture and how others are feeling.
Take a few minutes to stand still and listen. What are those on your team telling you with their body language, their behavior and their voice? What about those you love? Can you hear more than just their voice? Can you hear their heart?
Take the time to stand still and listen to what is happening all around you. Once we truly begin to hear, we will make a difference.
Larry
Check out our latest episode on the Crossing the Line Podcast:
Ridiculous 2020
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