You’re listening to someone explain a problem. Halfway through, you already know what you’re going to say.
That’s not listening. That’s waiting.
Most of us do this without noticing. We think four to twelve times faster than people talk, so while someone is still finishing a sentence, our minds have already moved to our response. By the time they’re done, we’ve been listening to ourselves for the last thirty seconds, not to them.
64% of HR professionals say active listening is the top leadership skill. More than half of managers admit they fail to listen effectively. The hard part isn’t believing the data. The hard part is catching the moment we stop doing it.
A small thing to try this week: when you notice yourself drafting your response while someone is still talking, pause. Wait until they finish. Ask one clarifying question before answering. It feels slower in the moment. It’s faster in the conversation overall.
The Business of Listening is one of six courses in our Effective Communication Bundle, 15% off through July 31. Six courses on the skills that turn well-intentioned conversation into the kind that actually goes somewhere.