by Nanci Sherman, Featured Contributor
Who… What… When….?
Pete Townsend wrote the quintessential leadership manual when he wrote “Listening to You” in The Who’s rock opera “Tommy” decades ago.
See me. Feel me. Touch me.
Right behind you, I see the millions
On you, I see the glory
From you, I get opinion
From you, I get the storyListening to you, I get the music
Gazing at you, I get the heat
Following you, I climb the mountain
I get excitement at your feet.
What we can gather from this is timeless in application:
- When you pass by someone, acknowledge them every time.
- Feel what they feel when you speak with them by being really present
- Touch people with your humanity.
- Communicate so people get “the story” – and can step into it with you.
That’s when the “millions” will follow and climb that mountain with you. Every interaction matters. It is your virtual signature.
Hi Jane,
Even more interesting than listening for or listening to is we listen from…. as in having triggers in our subconscious mind Already judging or knowing what someone is going to say, and distorting the listening if we feel the need to protect ourselves. Sometimes even when I want to listen so carefully, I will be thinking about the chores I need to do or what I am going to cook next. Hard to stay focused…..:) It’s an art worth pursuing…..
It’s interesting that in the past three days I have read or flagged to read articles all based on listening. It occurs to me that we learn to listen from the time we are infants. We listen for our mom or dad. We listen to the sounds of words because it’s by listening that we learn to talk. Why is it that we are so reluctant to become experts in the basic skill we learned first? I’m rambling. Perhaps I should listen and stop rambling. BUT thanks for ‘listening’. ;-)