It’s a bit ironic that I’m writing about this in the parking lot before my twice monthly Toastmasters meeting (shout out Wausau chapter 782), but it makes sense to me.
I had the pleasure of touring around San Francisco recently with my then 3-year-old son. What a magical and memorable time.
I snapped this photo while we were at the superb Exploratorium.
It caught my eye initially, I admit, because it looked like a Seth Rogen and James Lipton doing their best active listening impressions (over-acting, a critic might say).
However, it turns out it’s a couple earnest and genuinely interested Exploratorium staff members listening intently to Dr. Edward “E.O.” Wilson, a pioneer in the fields of evolutionary biology and animal social behavior.
Active listening has a lot of components, but body language is a big one.
Think about this next time you’re with a patient, colleague, family member, friend, or even a stranger.
Think about what you’re saying with your body as they’re talking, and don’t just patiently wait until it’s your turn.
Listen to understand, not to respond. If you want to be hospitable, you need to listen actively.
I’ll be practicing this in a few minutes with some new friends.
