Actively Listening
“People say, ‘All we really need is love. If there were universal love, all would go well.’ But we don’t appear to have it. So we have to find a way that works.” –Dr. David Boh
This was the fundamental reason Dr. David Bohm felt so strongly about Dialogue. It was his hope and vision that corporate, labor and civil society organizations would use Dialogue to engage in innovative solutions to complex problems.
“The word LISTEN contains the same letters as the word SILENT” ∞ Alfred Brendel
Most of us think we know how to listen. We don’t, and growing up we are rarely if ever told to Examine How You Listen.
When another person is speaking, what happens? Unless you are hearing-impaired, hearing happens; it requires no effort. It is a biological act of perceiving sound by the ear.
Listening on the other hand doesn’t “simply happen”; it is something you consciously choose to do. It requires intention. It necessitates concentration. It demands attention.