I recently did a half-day communications workshop for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Greater Detroit Chapter. When I asked the question, what value did you get out of today – WAIT was high on the list.
WAIT stands for “Why Am I Talking?” It’s a reminder to, basically, shut up and listen. Really listen.
We all have a tendency to be thinking of what we’re going to say next when the other person is talking, instead of trying to understand their point of view and their concerns. It’s easy to understand how this can get you into trouble.
The really bad part is not only do we do that to other people, we do it to ourselves. We don’t shut up long enough to really hear what’s going on inside our minds. We’re thinking instead of all the things we have to do, all the things that could go wrong, what’s for dinner, what’s going on this weekend, etc. etc..
What we really all need to do is take some time on a regular basis and WAIT. Shut up and listen to what’s really important with ourselves. We need to really understand where we’re coming from and our own point of view. We owe as much courtesy to ourselves as we owe to others. And in order to be able to really listen to others, we need to be able to listen to ourselves.
Practice this for a week or two, and you will be really surprised at what you may find out. Dreams that you had all but forgotten. Things that you thought were important really aren’t, and visa versa. You may have been drowning out your hopes and desires for a long time.
So, this week – WAIT and let me know what you hear.