Someone once said that God gave us two ears and one mouth, so we could listen twice as much as we speak. Hmmm… there’s something here. Just imagine the things we might hear.
Maybe we would hear the early morning birds waking up their families… and chattering as they get ready to face their day, or maybe we would hear how others really feel about us. For sure we would hear the gossipmongers and the chatterboxes, the rumors and the scandals, and we would hear pain and hope, suffering and joy. We would certainly hear the well-meaning words that others are saying to us… but we would also hear the words they are unwilling to voice. Say what???
Some years ago, I heard a speaker whose message stayed with me long after her name faded in the crowded corridors of my memory. Part of that message pointed out that traditional Chinese character for the verb to listen compounds the characters for ears, eyes, undivided attention and heart - 聽. Now isn't that something?
Does this mean the old folks used to practice being still in order to listen with their ears, their eyes, as well as their heart? Hmmm… we could learn something from those folks.
So what does that have to do with lessons and success? Consider this…
Listen to the wisdom around you. Even though you may not like the way the messenger looks or speaks, if given the opportunity, pay attention to the message. Listen! Even when it seems obscene or futile to give ear to the leader whose ideologies are different from our own… after all, he must be an idiot if he’s from another political party… and we are (of course), the brightest minds around. Listen! Even though your parents were born in another century (dinosaurs), they may have an ounce of intellect or street corner common sense, and that ounce may be just the measure needed to save your life. Listen! Even when it’s impossible to believe that the relic of a manager could possibly be able to add anything of value to a 20-something's vast years of experience. Still listen! It is easier to believe that the ideas that worked yesterday could not possibly be relevant today. Yes, it is easier... but often untrue.
It is here that I offer a tip for achieving success in the workplace, which is that we honor and listen to the organizational wisdom around us. Listen to the generations that have earned success, they have knowledge to share. Listen to the people who’ve had longevity in business. They may know something about the way things get done. Listen to those who’ve been making strides before you. They probably know a thing or two about a thing or two.
And as you listen to the wisdom around you… listen to your internal voice. Whether your internal voice is for you - God, or your gut... take a moment and listen you may be amazed at what you hear.
I know an exceptional listener Bernadette Glover, who in my opinion has mastered the skill of listening with her ears, her eyes, her heart and her undivided attention. She published a book entitled, Whispers Overheard in which she reveals the sounds and utterance of words she's come to hear... or overhear. It goes to show the possibilities when we stop to listen. For when we listen, we open ourselves to understanding a larger truth. When we listen, we learn to navigate the winding walkways of the workplace and strut with certainty to take advantage of the choices that are ahead of us.
Beyonce’s character in Dream Girls struck a nerve as she belted out in gut-wrenching plea to be heard, when she sang the song Listen. If I could, I would play this song with you in mind...
I wonder what you will hear when you listen??
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