Monday, March 13, 2006

Orrin Woodward - Listening

One of the skills Orrin Woodward has refined is the skill of listening.

Orrin would agree with Epictetus who said, "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak." In fact, I've heard Orrin deliver that line repeatedly. I have found that if Orrin repeats something, it must be very important. And he lives this one. I can "hear" his example. And Orrin can "listen behind the words" which is a skill every great leader has developed. Management guru Peter Drucker said, "The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said." The next time you listen to someone, try to listen for the meaning "behind" the words. You will be surprised how easy this really is.