When others talk I am usually soaking in the information and thinking about how to respond. In reading the text I understand that this may be a reactive rather than interactive process. Having the ability to stop all process of thought and concentrate on what your communication partner is saying is something I will need to practice. In our society and culture, we tend to want to put our own opinions out there to the world instead of understanding what other people mean what they say and where they came from to say the things they did. Recently I have been judging a coworker of mine due to the ridiculous things they say. I thought she was naïve and very judgmental of other people. What I did not realize is this person has never traveled any farther than Nevada and California. Knowing this little bit of information helps me understand this person rather than judge.
After listening to someone speaks I can usually reiterate what that person just articulated. I think being heard and making the other person feel important in any relationship is key to success. My boss is a person that is exactly how the textbook uses to describe the first step in listening. To grab his attention you must first yell his name numerous times until he realizes you are talking to him. Then when he is “listening” you know he is really thinking of 100 other things going on (i.e. emails, voicemails, other people in the office). It can be very frustrating when it comes down to an important and urgent situation.
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