Quotes & Sayings About Listening Skills

I always listen to what I can leave out. — Miles Davis

Be warned - Hammond does tend to be a bit optimistic about these kind of things. If the army were made up of one-legged mutes, he would praise their balance and their listening skills. — Brandon Sanderson

Listening is an important skill to spark creativity and cultivate empathy. — Pearl Zhu

We have to deal with rather than anesthetizing tension with TV or video games. It's easier to bypass relational snags with a convenient distraction, forfeiting the chance to improve problem solving and listening skills. I don't want my kids to be more comfortable interacting with a computer screen than a human being. We stay the course until we've resolved an issue, not allowing "Phineas & Ferb" to fill the space instead. This is harder and requires more time, but my kids will marry people and have bosses and children. Learning healthy relational skills is now or never. — Jen Hatmaker

If you listen to your body and your intuition, they'll guide you well. There are countless ways to develop listening skills. Some helpful and classic practices include: dancing and drumming, sitting and walking meditations, t'ai chi or chi kung, painting or journal writing. It's important to find what works for you, and even the time of day or night that works best for you. Whatever you choose, the commonality is that they all offer an opportunity for quieting the mind, and slowing down enough to be
present and able to listen for inner guidance - and guidance from the plants themselves. — Robin Rose Bennett

Paul and Elder remind us: Critical thinkers are clear as to the purpose at hand and the question at issue. They question information, conclusions and point of view. They strive to be clear, accurate, precise, and relevant. They seek to think beneath the surface, to be logical and fair. They apply these skills to their reading and writing as well as to their speaking and listening. Critical thinking — Bell Hooks

Effective communication requires active listening skills. — Farshad Asl

I'd much rather hear someone's unique interpretation of their own experience. Those who negate or override someone else's experience in order to one-up them or to show off their own knowledge or perceived abilities are in truth showing off their lack of listening skills and wisdom. — Tonya Sheridan

Most of actor's work is done at home, in your hotel room, in the wee hours of the morning thinking and reading and feeling, walking around and listening to music. It really just because an internal exercise, whatever skills. It's great if you have to learn something new for a gig and designing a character physically is always fun but it does become an internal exercise in separating the wheat from the chaff. — Colin Farrell

One of the greatest ways you can affirm value in another person is by giving them the gift of your undivided attention, the kind of attention that says, "I hear what you are saying because I value who you are." You don't have to agree with someone to show them their value as a person. Listening demonstrates that any person you meet is worthy of your respect and attention. — Joe Jordan

We are far more revealing by the questions we ask than the answers we give. Answer briefly to sense where their questions are heading. — Kare Anderson

You can do and use the skills that you have. The schools need you. The teachers need you. Students and parents need you. They need your actual person: your physical personhood and your open minds and open ears and boundless compassion, sitting next to them, listening and nodding and asking questions for hours at a time. — Dave Eggers

From now on, the technology companies that succeed will be those that have developed skills at listening and a sophisticated understanding of their customers' industries. — Samuel J. Palmisano

I sometimes turn on the radio and I find very often that what I'm listening to is a discussion of sports. These are telephone conversations. People call in and have long and intricate discussions, and it's plain that quite a high degree of thought and analysis is going into that. People know a tremendous amount. They know all sorts of complicated details and enter into far-reaching discussion about whether the coach made the right decision yesterday and so on. These are ordinary people, not professionals, who are applying their intelligence and analytic skills in these areas and accumulating quite a lot of knowledge and, for all I know, understanding. On the other hand, when I hear people talk about, say, international affairs or domestic problems, it's at a level of superficiality that's beyond belief. — Noam Chomsky

Active listening involves both demonstration and perception. — James Pyle

I think this transition to a candidacy will allow me to be more direct about my advocacy of the leadership skills necessary for the next president to fix a few things, and as a candidate, contrary to someone who has been listening and learning along the way, I'll offer up alternatives to the path we're on as well, so I'll be more specific on policy. — Jeb Bush

He didn't say anything to the contrary or interrupt me in any way, which was nice. (Polite listening skills really are rare, don't you think?) — Matthew Quick

You listen to people, you listen so deeply that you can hear their past lives,
The crackle of their funeral pyres, — Dick Allen

Would you like the rhythm of your heart to be calm?
Would you like the music of your soul towards harmony and fulfillment?
Deal with any conflict constructively to reduce stress, tension and other unwanted collateral effects. Sharing you strategies on how to deal with a conflict:
- take care of yourself and know well yourself
- clarify what personal needs threatened by the conflict
- identify a safe place and appropriate time for negotiation
- seek first to understand than be understood, listening skills is very important. — Angelica Hopes

What's the return on investment of college? What's the return on investment of having children, spending time with friends, listening to music, reading a book? The things that are most worth doing are worth doing for their own sake. Anyone who tells you that the sole purpose of education is the acquisition of negotiable skills is attempting to reduce you to a productive employee at work, a gullible consumer in the market, and a docile subject of the state. What's at stake, when we ask what college is for, is nothing less than our ability to remain fully human. — William Deresiewicz

Lucien had never prayed before, never imagined that there might be a deity listening who would be interested in what he had to say, so his supplication skills were a tad rusty.
But now Lucien prayed.
Please don't take her from me just as I've found her. If you do, I'll come for your ass.
Any gods listening would do well to heed him. Lucien never made a promise that he couldn't keep. — Aimee Roseland

We must be present enough and receptive enough to "hear" with our whole being beyond just the words that are being spoken. — Henry Kimsey-House

I believe that listening is one of the most important skills for any teacher, parent, leader, entrepreneur or, well, just about anyone who has a pulse. — Richard Branson

Good leaders motivate others by their listening skills. We are to: avoid prejudicial first impressions; become less self-centered; withhold initial criticism; stay calm; listen with empathy; be active listeners; clarify what we hear; and recognize the healing power of listening. Then we are to act on what we hear — John C. Maxwell

Be a good listener. Your ears will never get you in trouble. — Frank Tyger

Tim Bee has demonstrated his toughness and his compassion, his ability to lead while at the same time listening to others. These are skills few people in public life have. We need Tim Bee working for us in Congress. — Jim Kolbe

so many sounds do come close to our ears each moment. What we allow into our mind and how we interpret what we listen to is what propels our thought and actions — Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

Most people believe that their listening skills are where they need to be, even though they aren't. A study at Wright State University surveyed more than 8,000 people from different verticals, and almost all rated themselves as listening as well as or better than their co-workers. We know intuitively that many of them are wrong. — Travis Bradberry

You will never be able to truly step inside another person, to see the world as he sees it, until you develop the pure desire, the strength of personal character, and the positive Emotional Bank Account, as well as the empathetic listening skills to do it. — Stephen Covey

Being receptive, being able to listen openly and well, is a crucial skill for creative problem-solving. — Paul A. Kaufman

You have a choice. You can continue eating the foods manufacturers want you to buy that are making you unhealthy. Or you can return to eating the foods God provided for you, already magnificently packaged in their own skins, rinds, pods and shells. Foods that contain all the human-appropriate vitamins and minerals you need, and the right proportion of sugar, fat, salt and calories. Will you listen to God, or will you continue listening to the marketing and advertising gurus whose agenda has nothing to do with your health?Cukierkorn, Rabbi Celso; Collins, Susan Ford (2012-10-11). The Miracle Diet: Lose Weight, Gain Health ... 10 Diet Skills (p. 103). — Celso Cukierkorn

When students practice good classroom listening skills, these also become useful life skills. — Michael S. Lawson

Make a concise statement clearly and you should only need to say it once. — Mary Mihalic

Our archaeological ancestry lost hair while growing sweat glands to reduce panting in the hot African sun. One outcome evolved the origin of our speech. Another conquered our ability to shut the hell up and listen. Now? Politicians grunting "On the Origin of Speeches" past one another. — Brian Spellman

Your listening, not your speaking, is your most direct access to leadership effectiveness. — Al Ritter

All of us need better skills in listening, conversing, respecting one another's uniqueness, because these are essential for strong relationships. — Margaret J. Wheatley

If you hear I will speak but if you listen I will talk. — Pushpa Rana

There is a difference between truly listening and waiting for your turn to talk. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

From listening and silence can be learn a lot of, but these skills to be learn that's the hard and complicated work... — Deyth Banger

I've learned to get really good at this - say one thing when I'm thinking about something else, act like I'm listening when I'm not, pretend to be calm and happy when I'm really freaking out. It's one of the skills you perfect as you get older — Lauren Oliver

The girl was kind in a special way; when you spoke to her, she seemed to stop thinking of whatever she been thinking and listened to you altogether. — Ellery Queen

The first purpose of any small talk conversation is to show your partner the reason why the conversation is being held in the first place. Your conversation partner will know you better when he/ she has an idea of what you're trying to express. In this way, the first purpose is all about presenting a gift and should not be handled lightly. You might miss the opportunity if you pretend like you're giving your partner the right information, or giving him/ her what you think they want to hear. The second reason for engaging in small talk conversation is to get familiar with your partner. This entails giving them the opportunity to speak without interrupting them or sharing your own interests. Your listening skills have to be effective for you to maximize your opportunities for understanding your partner. — Jack Steel

The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand.
We listen to reply. — Stephen R. Covey

Listen more than you talk. Nobody learned anything by hearing themselves speak — Richard Branson

One of the greatest skills any leader can master is becoming comfortable with silence. — David Grossman

We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen more than we say. — Zeno Of Citium

Turn off the radio, TV, DVD, iPod, computer and cell phone. Then, listen. — Gina Greenlee

There are times that all you need is someone who will listen to you without judging you - not telling you what you should have done or should do, but simply, listening to you — Bernard Kelvin Clive

Listening is not a skill; it is a discipline. — Peter Drucker

The chamber music repertoire is so vast that if one is genuinely curious about music, the art of listening, understanding and responding to a score, the elementary skills and requirements of chamber works are easily applicable to that of any solo playing. — Wu Han

While others are broadcasting be listening — Bernard Kelvin Clive

Personal truth differs from one person to the next, so how can truth itself be a constant? At least we can listen to each other in truth. — Jay Woodman

Listening is understanding. The skill of empathy is a must to be able to listen ... One can listen better if one sees the whole. — Bill Drayton

Listening is the key. The whole objective of a howl is to be heard. — Amit Pandey

Big egos have little ears. — Robert Schuller

Listen to others very carefully. Shut your inner noise and focus on verbal and non verbal cues. — Abhishek Ratna

Listening is one of the lesser-known skills that mistresses offer. — Betty Jane Wylie

A true friend knows when to give advice and when to just listen.
"stuff I think about" book by Sondra Faye — Sondra Faye

I never learn anything from listening to myself (Ovid Byron, in Flight Behavior) — Barbara Kingsolver

God speaks to us every day only we don't know how to listen. — Mahatma Gandhi

A democratic public forms when citizens gather together to deliberate and make public judgments about local and national issues that affect their lives. By associating together for public discussion, citizens learn the skills necessary for the health of a democratic public; listening persuading, arguing, compromising, and seeking common ground. When these skills are nurtured within the institutions of a democratic public, citizens educate themselves in order to make informed political decisions. — Kevin Mattson

Communication is really a two-way process with listenining being as important as speaking. Enhancing one's listening skills is therefore as important as enhancing one's speaking skills. — Vishwas Chavan

Honor your relationships by developing listening skills. — Allan Lokos

Listening (the first competence of leadership) is not a skill, it is a discipline. All you have to do is keep your mouth shut. — Peter Drucker

I am always impressed by the fact that even the tiniest amount of being listened to, the barest suggestion of the possibility of kind treatment, can bring such an immediate rush of emotion. I think this is because we are almost never really listened to. In my work as a psychologist, I am reminded every day of how infrequently we are heard, any of us, or our actions even marginally understood. And one of the ironies of my "listening profession" is its lesson that, in many ways, each of us ultimately remains a mystery to everyone else. — Martha Stout

When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand. Ideas actually begin to grow within us and come to life. — Brenda Ueland

It was Henry's nature to listen, and many times during the week he would say, 'Gosh, I'm awful sorry to hear that, ' or 'Say, isn't that something? — Elizabeth Strout

A powerful leader, like a conductor, need not say a word for his message to be communicated. — Orly Wahba

Asking questions is an opportunity for creativity and personal expression, both for the person asking and the person answering. — Sharon Salzberg

The key to good listening isn't technique, it's desire. Until we truly want to understand the other person, we'll never listen well. — Steve Goodier

Speak in such a way that others love to listen to you. Listen in such a way that others love to speak to you. — Anonymous

Looking deeply" means observing something or someone with so much concentration that the distinction between observer and observed disappears. — Thich Nhat Hanh

Campaigns often make standing on principle the highest of virtues - and listening to your opponents a sure sign of weakness. It's the virtual opposite of what it takes to succeed in office. Squaring the circle takes a powerful combination of skills. But presidents who can campaign and compromise are generally the most successful. — Dee Dee Myers

Powerful people do not have good listening skills. They hate to listen. They succeed by getting good at faking it ... If you're an extrovert, you think while you're talking. And it's impossible to listen to someone if you are thinking of the next thing you want to say. — Penelope Trunk