Great article with lots of practical ways to implement it. In my view this is a superpower and I find I can usually do it if I'm not stressed or tired.
As follow-up thoughts:
- It's important whom you listen to. Consider it a gift you're giving and give it only to those who you think deserve and not abuse it or make you consistently feel bad about something.
- Those listeners are also very healthy in/for a group,e.g., at work.
- Listening is a big part of managing a team. People's thoughts are often all over the place and it's your job (partly) to structure these, within a person and a across a team. People that feel heard are much more inclined to listen.
- For starters: Just make an effort to ask five open-ended questions in every conversation you have. You will see how people open up after some time. This also works for family, dates, colleagues, ...
It takes energy, attention, and emotional bandwidth, so it's reasonable (and healthy) to be selective about where you spend it. Otherwise you end up being an unpaid therapist for people who never reciprocate.
Yep glorified emotional tampon.