THREAD: some Sunday afternoon thoughts about communication and listening. (1/7)

Listening is something that I've talked a lot about during this campaign. It's something that I spend a large amoung of time doing in my day job. When I'm working with people who are in a lot of pain, the first step is making sure that they feel heard and understood. (2/7)

It doesn't matter how good a job *I* think I've done of listening to them - if they don't agree; if I can't show them that I've understood to *their* satisfaction - then I know from experience that nothing else I say to them will make much difference. (3/7)

Often, people will tell me that I'm the first person who has really taken the time to listen to them and take their experience seriously. Seeing things from someone else's perspective doesn't always mean agreeing with them but empathising with the emotion behind what... (4/7)

...they're telling me is the first step towards working together. This is especially important when talking about behaviour change, or offering advice or trying to persuade someone. Nobody wants advice from someone who "just doesn't get it". (5/7)

Listening is rarely easy, but it's even harder on social media. It's too easy to grab the wrong end of the stick & then use it to beat someone else over the head with. Too often we get stuck on "transmit" and forget that effective communication has to be a two way street. (6/7)

We can all afford to do better sometimes at remembering there are real people behind the text on the screen. Even - or especially - when we disagree with them. (7/7)