Most of us think we listen. We do — to ourselves. We have a “listening repertoire.” We listen “hurry up; get to the bottom line; yeah, yeah, yeah; been there, done that; who do you think you are? yeah, right; prove it.” A speaker has as much opportunity to be heard in a roaring crowd of football fans as he or she would standing in front of someone listening with their “listening repertoire.” Whatever we’re listening to, it’s rarely the speaker.

MLM Leaders who listen allow the speaker to recognize and experience being fully heard, to fully unfold and expand. Ideas actually begin to grow and come to life in the presence of listening.

Who are the MLM leaders you go to for advice, coaching, feedback? Not to the “practical ones” who tell you exactly what to do, how to do it, when to do it. You go to the leaders who listen, brainstorm without censorship, are the least bossy. It’s because by discussing your problems and circumstance with them, you then know “what to do” about it yourself. Read the rest of this entry »