In Touch & Feeling Deeply
“You have to have compassion when you interact with people, and you have to take it slow, listen carefully, talk carefully, and even take the time to laugh -- that, to me, is critical. It's also critical to really hear and understand the realities of what's being said, rather than just what we think we want to hear. I know all of that seems simple, but believe me, you'd be surprised at how often it's overlooked.”
(Dorothy Coleman, CEO of United-Healthcare of Southwest Ohio, in “Personal Touch.” by Bill Gillette. Managed Healthcare Executive: January 2005. Vol. 15, Iss. 1; pg. 28)
1 comment:
Dorothy
We have all heard the mantra, listen twice as much as you speak but, for me, it didn't really sink in until I heard something like it for the hundredth time in Dr. Holbein's Leadership class. Since then I have been making a concerted effort to not only to listen but to really try to understand what the other person is trying to say and although it is difficult I am beginning to see some positive results. My biggest weakness is my tendency to mentally think about what I am going to say next while simultaneously listening for the cues that it is my turn to talk.
When I do that I find that I block myself from really listening and hearing what the other person wants to say. I just keep on practicing and get a little better at it each day.
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