Listening to Comprehend

I was recently challenged by Amgen CEO, Kevin Sharer to be a better listener.  I really needed what he had to say.  Listening does not come easily to a type-A personality like me.

Good listeners listen to comprehend . . . not to correct . . . not to contradict . . . not to park until your chance to talk.  We often make assumptions about where the speaker is going and what he or she “might be trying to say.”  We then jump ahead and begin to draw conclusions before the speaker has concluded. 

After you understand what has been said (which may include some clarifying questions), there is ample time to agree, disagree, question, criticize or disregard.  Our listening bandwidth increases greatly as we focus on comprehension.  If we believe that every communication has a takeaway, we are more likely to find that takeaway if we are focused on comprehending what is being said.

Listening to comprehend does several things.  First, it shows high respect for the person talking.  Secondly, it quiets all the distractions that normally occur when we are focused on guarding our opinion or getting our point across.  Finally, it allows for a safe environment for the exchange of ideas and enhances the power of synergy.  Synergy is defined as two or more things functioning together to produce a result not independently obtainable. 

In this day of information overload, bottom-line agendas and short attention spans, listening is becoming a lost art.  I have made becoming a good listener a goal.  For me it is not an easy goal, but it is an important goal.  What do you think?