When People Do Not Listen with the Intent to Understand

Good Listening Means Seeking First to Understand

When people of different cultures come together, there is always the chance that worldviews, values, and norms will collide--not because the people are bad, but because they are interpreting situations from their own point of reference...their own point of view.

This is how communication breaks down. Seeking first to understand requires thoughtful effort, which is difficult, because it means reserving judgment until all the facts are in. Listening with the intent to understand is different from listening with the intent to reply or react. Experience shows that when trust breaks down, so does everything else. Interactions and conversations become difficult--if not impossible.


Until next time...