How do you know that you are listening?

When did you last listen? Not the words – but the communication, the context, the possibility, the future and the unprecedented.

If you go beyond the initial response like “Ofcourse, I am listening” and all the defences around listening and inquire with an Open Mind: How do you know that you are really listening?

The question is not whether you are listening or not. The question is How do you know that you are really listening.

Most of the times, we are listening via the filters, listening through the opinions and judgements, listening through the interpretations, listening through the past – about self, about others, about the situation etc.,

Then how do you know that you are really listening.

Maybe, it starts with noticing all those interpretations, all those voice of judgment and opinions.

Maybe, it starts with noticing that I am not listening, but have lot of things going in my head that are not allowing me to really listen.

Levels of Listening as created by Dr. Otto Scharmer, MIT and Presencing Institute

Listening means Changing.

If one is really listening, then something will change.

Either my data points or my perspectives about the data. Either my perceptions about people and my relationship and understanding of their world. Either some reduction in my stuckness of ‘Right’ Way of doing. Something has to change.

If No Change – then we can inquire – Did we really Listen

Regards, Manoj Onkar, MANAGEMENT INNOVATIONS, Global Transformation Consulting

manoj@managementinnovations.co.in; manoj@globaltransformationconsulting.com