More often than not when you hear those
words, it's being said as a parent to a child or a teacher to a
student. When we perceive that the other person we are talking to is
less educated and/or has less experience than we do, we have a
tendency to try to teach - but at times our perceptions may be off.
One of our species true flaws is measuring ourselves against others
and then jumping to conclusions. It's why eye witnesses are
notoriously unreliable.
With so much of our lives spent
learning things, when we reach a certain age or point in our career
or education level, we then convince ourselves that it's us that
others should be listening to. That's the “nobody knows more than
me on this subject” error in our thinking. You can accidentally
shut others down by repeatedly making sure that everyone knows how
extremely qualified you are. This may very easily deny ourselves an
opportunity to learn a new perspective on an old subject. That
prospect could even be exciting and healthy. Your mind simply doesn't
want to live without the excitement of a new thought or experience.
If the subject matter is something that you were drawn to in the
first place, that just adds to the excitement you may experience. We
must always be open to listening, no matter the subject.
Remember too: Education is a great
thing; but not all education is taught in a classroom. No matter how
great you are at doing something and no matter how long you've been
doing it, you can simply be wrong for the time or situation.
Sometimes, there is no right way to achieve something. Sometimes
success is achieved purely by accident or by just jumping in and
being involved. With the world ever evolving, we must take care not
to shut down others. No matter how old we get, there is much to be
learned and sometimes it's learned from infants and that same thing
is true in every career field. Be patient and listen.
In October, we practice our habit to Be Patient and Listen at 12 Habits For Wonderful People. Join our discussions at www.wonderfulpeople.net
In October, we practice our habit to Be Patient and Listen at 12 Habits For Wonderful People. Join our discussions at www.wonderfulpeople.net
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