This is something that the human race has been doing since its very existence.
Yet, amazingly, we seem to taken a turn backwards rather than getting better.
The key missing ingredient is our lack of skills in listening. No surprise given that it’s not on the school curriculum. There are no listening lessons.
Listening with the only purpose of understanding the other person would dramatically improve working together.
Many times we listen for a gap for when we can speak, jumping in at the first pause.
Often we kind of listen at the same time as we are formulating our response and that’s while the other person is still speaking.
At times we do not listen at all. We have evaluated in advance, without hearing a word, what the other person is saying will be of no worth.
Imagine the change to work if we just listened, as in with our ears and not our mouth. Evaluating after the person has spoken, using questions to further clarify the other person’s views.
Philip Dodson 