So- how does one listen? It is more than just hearing what someone has to say. It also includes “…paying attention to how they say it, and what they do while they are saying it in what context, and how what they say resonates within you.“ (Id.)
It is asking the right questions! Be curious about the other person without having a hidden agenda that includes “…fixing, saving, advising, convincing or correcting.“ (Id.) Ask a very open-ended generalized question simply because you want to learn more about the person rather than one that is designed to elicit a “Yes” or “No” or other very short response. Ms. Murphy also suggests that one not ask questions such as “what do you do for a living” or “where do you live” as such questions are implicitly designed to rank the person in the social hierarchy rather than to simply get to know them (Id.)
She suggests that you ask expansive questions about someone’s interests, or the last movie they saw, or some other topic about them. (Id.)
