Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.
~Stephen R. Covey
This presidential election cycle has held me rapt, worried, and bewildered. Claerly, people feel that their needs are not being met by standard political candidates, that those politicians aren't listening and don't care, that those politicians are beholden to someone other than their constituents. I'm afraid voter frustration has triggered a widespread disinterest in listening, though.
Linda Eve Diamond started Listeners Unite, and she also wrote the poem below, which feels very appropriate at this time:
Linda announced this Listening-themed poetry contest (deadline July 15, 2016).
I'm learning about reflective listening in crisis situations from a free online Coursera course called Psychological First Aid. I think it might particularly interest teachers, but anyone could benefit from it.
One more thing, not overtly about listening, but really it is -- an article on On Prescribing Poems for the Sick,
the Dying, the Grief Stricken.
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Today's Poetry Friday round-up is at Poetry for Children. Thanks, Sylvia!
I'm still taking names of swappers for the Summer Poetry Swap! We are doing something new this summer and you can join in on 1, 3, or 5 swaps! Email me if you want in or tell me in the comments.
8 comments:
I'm saving the Coursera course for this evening's listen, Tabatha - thanks for sharing it this Poetry Friday.
YES. This poem says it all. I've long bemoaned the lost art of conversation, and as you say, things have gotten so much worse. People really don't listen -- they don't know how, and even worse, they don't want to. No such thing as compromise or common ground.
"In fact, the other colors just distract". Ah, yes, to listen well is also to try to understand. The Stephen Covey quote is something we have discussed in class, that "reflective listening" is listening to add to and illuminate the other's words, not simply listen so you can have a turn to speak. I watched an interview last night on CNN, & each stepped on the other's words, so much that I couldn't understand what either said. I am hopeful for better! Thanks, Tabatha.
I hate watching the "in your face" yelling we see so much of now. It's a barbaric way of conversing.... So disturbing. I watch parents in grocery stores yelling at kids the same way. How will they know this is not how you settle disputes or discuss. How will they know a conversation when they hear it? Of course, most of the time it will be a text message anyway.... That's what many parents are doing when their kids are trying to tell them something.
Tabatha, your thoughts and links fit the theme I see in so many of this week's PF posts. I love that Seven Covey quote, and have checked myself with it often!
Thank you for participating in our Poetry Friday gathering this week. I love your focus on listening too-- lots to think about here!
Reading and responding around the PF roundup is a sort of conversation, but it is still just one room, and one volley of post--response does not a true conversation make, I guess. I did appreciate the perfection of having to LISTEN to the poem in this post about listening!! I'll check out the course. Thanks for the link.
Hi there Tabatha. It does appear that we are on the same wavelength. I was just commenting in Linda's post that the Philippine elections has taken bits and pieces of my soul. While I am hopeful for the best, part of me is still grieving.
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