What does it mean to deeply listen to someone? To me it means to take a real interest in what the other person has to say. What would you say?

It sounds so easy: To listen to someone. To be interested in what the other person has to say.

I have found that neither of the two happens often enough in business conversations. We are either distracted by doing something else in parallel, or by assuming their answers before these are even given.

To be really interested in what the other has to say means to listen with an open mind and open heart. To be interested in the other person as well as in their views and opinions. To be interested in how they will add to my thinking by building on ideas or by offering perspectives.

To listen may lead to either agreement or disagreement, and it will definitely lead to learning.

Do you agree?

[Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels]