Listening, Not Just Hearing

Many of us have heard people say: You’re wrong!” “You just don’t understand.” “How could you say that?” “I’m sure my way is right.”

Those statements, along with many more, are all too common today. They are full of judgment and reflective of a critical skill lacking in modern workplaces as well as in the larger world: listening. And listening shouldn’t be confused with hearing; the goal is to listen and understand.

Listening doesn’t mean simply hearing the words another person says; it means being curious about what they’ve said and beyond – interested in their experiences that lead to what they say. When someone disagrees with us, we often feel threatened and judge them. Judgment stops the sharing process cold and can even result in the end of relationships. Business relies on relationships, and we as humans need healthy relationships of all kinds to thrive.

Join Angela Noble-Grange, Senior Lecturer of Management Communication at Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management, as she explores the importance of fostering effective listening skills to create healthy relationships at work and in the world. She’ll help us break down some of the questions we can ask to ensure people know that we’re listening to understand.