We’ve heard about lean specs, but what about lean hearing aids?

In his first blog on linked in Richard Branson gave five tips to budding entrepreneurs. The first amongst them was to listen more than to talk,

‘We have two ears and one mouth, using them in proportion is not a bad idea!’ Richard Branson.

At S A Partners, when we expand and explain the people enabled practices of our Lean Business Model, we also emphasise the important skills of active and genuine listening. As humans, we share certain tendencies when it comes to listening:

• Our thoughts often run ahead of the speaker and we don’t take it all in, just bits
• We think we know what is being said so we only partially listen
• We hear our own thoughts instead
• Our mind wanders
• We miss the main point – hearing just the words, not the meaning
• We look instead of listen (think how easy it is to remember a name but not a face when being introduced to someone)
• We fake attention

The list suggests that our natural tendencies as regards listening are weak. Like all lean practices, listening is a skill we can practice and become better at. The first important step is recognising that we need to do something about it.

For inspiration in that regard, here’s a list of words and phrases people tend to say about how they feel when they think they are really being listened to:

Unburdened

Vulnerable

Positive

Sense of worth

Gives me feedback

Empowered

Confident

Appreciated

Calm

Relaxed

Gives me clarity

Surprised

Valued

Helps creativity

Sense of sharing

Trusted

How great to be able to make make others feel this way!