Are You Listening?
Listening is an obligatory activity, perhaps even a mandatory innate mindset or behavior for any business and especially for brand consultants counseling their clients. Whether that listening is to clients, employees, peers or even competitors, essential insight is gained first by listening and then by responding accordingly. The benefits of listening for your business are sometimes overlooked or only lip service is paid to its practice. Friday November 27 is the National Day of Listening. Perhaps the act of listening in its social context can remind us of the power, beauty and heartfelt engagement that comes with truly hearing someone.
Listening to a spouse, family member or friend is to honor their story, to learn about perspectives, to reveal hidden emotional connections and to open the door to understanding our common humanity. It is a celebration of life.
The National Day of Listening is a project inspired by StoryCorps and is an initiative that is itself inspiring. A couple of years ago, I took part in this StoryCorps interview with Ky-Antre, a fantastic young man I mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the resulting interview was edited for public broadcast. You can hear it here (after the brief NPR plug!):
Omaha’s local NPR affiliate, KIOS, is recognizing Friday’s National Day of Listening during this entire Thanksgiving week. It has been humbling and delightful to listen in as the participants from our community listened to each other. Will you be listening this Friday? Who will you converse with? What could you learn? Will you truly engage? Will you take this chance to celebrate life?
Written by Stuart
David Day | Associates
About the Author: Stuart isn't often heard divulging his shady history. This, unfortunately, is not one of those times.