Parents, Lovers and Friends, Ask Questions!
Monday I warned you about 9 Consequences Of Not Listening.
Yesterday I introduced you to 8 Benefits Of Asking Questions Instead Of Demanding To Be Heard.
Today let me expand on those 8 benefits for parents, lovers and friends.
Note – While I color-coded for parents, lovers and friends, the suggestions are not exclusively for those groups.
Questions help us understand the problem from another perspective.
Parents – You’ll take a step back from your worry-place.
Lovers – You’ll maintain your commitment to togetherness.
Friends – You’ll contribute to the brainstorming.
8 Benefits of Asking Questions Instead of Demanding To Be Heard
When people listen, really listen, great things happen.
Displaying a warm and friendly disposition toward others is important, but in this generation we need much more.
Friendly smiles help other feel safer, but in this age many people experience a crisis of isolation. In order to overcome our sense of isolation we need people to listen, really listen to us.
How can we learn to be better listeners?
Recognizing our tendency to be “tellers” instead of listeners is one good way. Another is to really, truly admit that there are benefits of asking questions instead of giving answers. Not that we should not be telling people our opinions, but I believe it’s important to listen more than most people do.
9 Consequences Of Not Listening
Listening is a skill.
When people utilize attentive listening skills great things can happen:
– I’ve seen crises averted when people utilized attentive listening skills.
– I’ve seen tensions diminished when people utilized attentive listening skills.
– I’ve seen stressful relationships healed when people utilized attentive listening skills.
And, you’ve seen it too.
Unfortunately, when people don’t utilized attentive listening skills bad things can happen.
– I’ve seen “blind people” perpetuate lies.
– I’ve seen “deaf people” shut down conversations.
– I’ve seen “dumb people” drag others down.
And, you’ve seen it too.
