listening is more than hearing

My base of fans are made up of many; with kids allergic
to belts lettin they mind melt from drinking the Henny
And them straight and narrow types who be waiting to hear
them drums say the revolution is near - are you listening?
Are your eardrums open for christening?
-De La Soul, "Much More"

I've always been a bit of a muse. More reserved than outgoing. More laidback than excitable. I've tried my best over time to become better at not only hearing what someone is saying to me, but also by being able to actively listen and process the conversation as it transpires. Mostly, it's a selfish trait to allow myself to better comprehend whatever the hell they're talking about. But at times, it has proven useful and productive to help inform my observations afterwards when they ask for feedback.

There was an article a few weeks back that essentially spoke to the concept of Tuning in to hear others. To be honestly, I have definitely tuned out many times when someone is speaking and I either have little interest in what they're saying or my mind was already preoccupied with other thoughts.

Listening demands critical thinking. Often, people don't speak clearly, so listeners must sift patterns of language and intention - on the fly. This is why experts often suggest that listeners practice "reflecting," or paraphrasing what a speaker says, so that both sides know they are understanding one another. During a conversation, good listeners also offer brief verbal and physical signals - such as nodding or saying "I see" or "tell me more" - to show that they are paying attention.

To hear that there are businesses that actually teach listening skills is profound indeed and also a testament to the power of creativity and entrepreneurship. I see listening, critical thinking, and problem solving almost essential to each other. Without all of them, the risk of failure and miscommunication is extremely high and almost frightening. Yet, for all the talking we do nowadays, texting and IMing has replaced much of the need to actually listen. I've often called folks back after getting a text message. At first, I was just being mad cheap. Now, I find I am increasingly annoyed at the thought of texting back and forth for 25 minutes for what could have been a 3-minute conversation. Go figure.