Listen

It is true that we sell ourselves through speaking with other people. Knowing how to speak to the public is a very valuable skill that will get us work and create networks. However, we should also remember that listening is just as important as speaking. I find that when I listen before speaking, I get more information about the topic. It helps me

• Avoid redundancy.
You probably experienced being in a seminar, where after the speaker is done with the lecture someone asks a question which was already discussed during the session. Worse is when someone asks the same question, which was just asked a minute ago.

• Prevent myself from being off tangent.
Listening allows you to get all the information you need before you open your mouth. It allows you to organize your thoughts.

• Show respect and gain respect.
By listening, we show that we are interested and we value other people’s opinion. When we show eagerness, we encourage people to also be eager to listen to us.

These are just some of the things we can get from listening. Here is a verse from the Bible that shows the value of listening before speaking.

"He who answers before listening--that is his folly and his shame". -Proverbs 18:13