Category: Listening

Unlike a lot of people my age, I didn’t grow up watching Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. I discovered Fred Rogers later on in life through documentaries, and the more I learned about him the more I became a fan. He was a man who exemplified qualities like kindness, curiosity, and compassion. He taught children and adults to feel, name, and express their emotions rather than ignoring them. And he had mastered the art of exuding love through his simple presence.

Six years before he died, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award during which he gave a very short acceptance speech. He used 10 seconds of that speech to invite the audience to remember all the people who had helped them become who they are. Here are a few of his words from that night:

“All of us have special ones who have loved us into being. Would you just take, along with me, 10 seconds to think of the people who have helped you become who you are. Th ...

Have you ever been listening to something, possibly music, a book or a podcast, and suddenly you realize you have no idea what you’ve been listening to? Or have you ever met someone and that person introduced themselves and you instantly forgot their name? Or finally, have you ever found yourself listening to someone but all you can think of is what you’re going to say back to them when they stop talking? I’m sure most of us can relate to one or several of these examples. The reality about listening is that it isn’t as simple as just listening. 

There are four main types of listening that we utilize in different scenarios in life. All of which are important, have value and are needed. The challenge is learning to employ the right type of listening for the right scenario, because when we use the wrong type of listening it likely won’t lead to the desired result or outcome. After learning the dif ...